Breaking Wonderland
by Kryssa's flute
Summary: Though it seems like a dream, Wonderland is not without its demons. Alice and the Role Holders learn of the one enemy that threatens their very existence, and the cost of saving their home. Chapter 9: Alice faces the truth. 'I'm going to get hurt, and I'm going to get killed. But when it happens, at least they'll know I came for them. If I have to die to save them, then I will.'
1. A Clock Until It Breaks

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuni no Alice series; QuinRose does. I only own the original storyline and any characters not seen in the original games.

Author's Note: This story takes place during Joker no Kuni, with the borders of the worlds blending into each other.

Breaking Wonderland

Chapter 1

It surprised him when Alice asked, "Does today seem a little _wrong_ to you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Different, I suppose. As if the world has suddenly moved while we slept, came back to the same place, and didn't quite fit back into itself."

Though he was loath to admit it, Julius nodded. "If it's of any consolation, I, too, feel slightly put-off today."

"Perhaps because we've had been having orderly time-turns," Gray said, coming into the room with two cups of hot cocoa.

Alice blinked as she took a cup. "What?"

"For the last six turns, we've had a normal progression of hours. Dawn, day, dusk, night, dawn, and now it is daytime," he said, gesturing outside the window. Sure enough, brilliant sunlight danced off the light snowfall on the ground. "It's always disorienting when it happens."

"Oh, like it normally does back in my world!"

Gray shook his head, as if in disbelief that such a thing could be normal. "I'm not sure I could remember the last time we had more than three orderly time-turns. Likely before Roles were switched."

Julius couldn't remember either, but he simply took a cup of cocoa with a nod of thanks. It was quiet for a while – Alice polishing, himself working the clocks – before she spoke up again.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened to the previous Role Holders?"

"You've asked me that before."

"And you didn't answer my question."

"As if something has changed between then and now?"

"I decided to stay."

His hands stopped moving, poised to turn a tiny screw in place. Then, with a soft sigh and a careful turn of his fingers, he said, "We live according to the game, playing by the rules. This is the unchanging, meaningless truth of our world. Our lives are spent eternally fighting and dying and being reborn. But you knew that."

A silent nod; she was being oddly patient.

"The previous Role Holders had their own game. Few of them survived; most did not. As such, we were chosen from the faceless to replace those Roles."

"You weren't born into being the Clockmaster?"

"Occasionally, a faceless may ask to take a Role – it is said Dupre did just that. But no one truly knows how the choice is made. Someone, perhaps Joker or Nightmare, chooses the next Role Holder if no one speaks up, but even Nightmare is not the first Incubus."

"Then, what happens when everyone gets killed and one person's left standing?"

"The game ends, and a new one begins."

"Oh…. So was the previous fight over territory, like this one?"

"I don't know."

She looked disappointed, as if his answers weren't enough. But soon enough, her attention span drifted off and she went to gather extra gears and pieces.

"She asks the most fascinating questions," Nightmare murmured, and Julius didn't bother to look up at the previously empty chair.

"She shouldn't. And you should attend to your work, not eavesdrop on private conversations."

"You're as bad as Gray! Neither of you know the meaning of the phrase 'coffee break'!"

"And you don't know the phrase 'work ethic'. Please take your leave as soon-"

A knock on the door, and inside stepped a faceless, out-of-breath messenger.

"I beg your pardon, but I bring urgent word from the Queen of Hearts for the Clockmaster and Lord of Clover," he said, gasping for air between every few words. The man bore two crumpled letters; the wax seal was still warm to the touch as Julius broke it open.

And his stomach fell to the floor as he read the words, and Nightmare took in a sharp breath.

"What's going on?" and Alice walked in, carrying her little box of supplies. "Is everything all right?"

"I'll get Gray," Nightmare said, disappearing in a whisper of smoke.

"Julius, what's going on?"

"We must go to the Castle. War has been waged upon the Country of Diamond."

* * *

By the time they arrived, almost every Role Holder was present and talking in frenzied voices, but the first thing Alice saw was the bloodied black rabbit lying on the ground, his head pillowed on Pierce's lap.

"What happened?" she gasped, skidding down next to the mouse and trying to take it all in _oh my god all the blood how is he still alive?_

"Attacked on the way here," Pierce said softly. "By what, we don't know."

Gowland was sitting next to him, doing his best to patch up the wounds, but Alice knew a futile effort when she saw it. It didn't stop her from grabbing a handful of gauze squares and pressing them on the largest, gaping wound near the rabbit's neck. They turned red so very quickly.

"Found him in the Forest – must'a come through one of the doors."

"Where is the Hatter? If he doesn't arrive soon, we will personally behead him!"

"Did word get to the Queen of Spades?"

"I've not heard from them for at least… two thousand time turns. They may have already fallen."

The doors burst open again, and the four members of the Hatter family entered the hall – with a familiar face in tow.

"Joker!" Nightmare said. "What are you doing here?"

"I was invited, too, Incubus," he smiled, but it never touched his eye. "How is our Black Rabbit holding up?"

He bent over Alice and made a tsking sound. "Harder pressure than that, my dear Alice. You want to staunch bleeding." A firm grip on her hand and a shove downwards made the rabbit cry out in pain. "Oh, he's still alive."

"Yes, you vile ass," the rabbit groaned. "For God's sake, you're lucky I lack the energy and strength to shoot you all."

"Terribly lucky," Blood said blandly. "So there is war in Diamond?"

"More than that – a massacre," and he made the painful shift from rabbit to human with a violent cough.

"Don't talk," Alice said, wiping blood away from his mouth. Now she could see the different injuries with painful clarity against pale skin; cuts over his face, neck, torso, arms, and legs. He was lying in a pool of blood, and she suspected there were wounds on his back. "Don't talk until you're better."

"I'm afraid we don't have time for such kind courtesies," Nightmare said, remorse coloring his words. "Please, tell us everything you can."

A pained chuckle, and unmatching eyes gazed up at the chandelier ceiling. "My name is Sidney Black, Prime Minister to the Queen of Diamonds, and I bring tidings of death and carnage."

* * *

"_What have you brought for us today?"_

"_A homeless faceless is requesting an audience, Your Highness."_

_A beatific smile crossed her lips. "We hope they brought presents."_

"_She states that it's of grave concern, and is carrying nothing on her person."_

_Now, a momentary pout. "Oh, all right. We will allow the faceless a moment in our presence."_

_The young woman brought into the court definitely looked the part of a wanderer. There was nothing special about her – brown dress, brown shoes, brown hair. She didn't look to be terribly well-fed, and seemed to be upon the verge of tears as she bowed her head before the queen._

"_Y-y-your Highness," she gasped. "Please, I beg your time!"_

"_We are listening. What brings you to the Castle in such a ragged state and bearing no gifts?" Crysta Snowpigeon said with evocative softness_

"_M-m-my city was destroyed, Your Majesty. Fastin, a-a-about three days away. A great evil came and... and a lot of people were k-killed. I don't remember *sniff* everything, but, but I remember all the screams. And I don't think any-anyone but me survived."_

_The temperature in the room slowly dropped by about twenty degrees as the girl talked. Sidney felt goosebumps rise over his neck, and his ears automatically fluffed out for warmth._

"_Who did this?" and the Queen of Diamonds bore ice on her fingertips. "Tell us who wrought such havoc in our country."_

"_I don't know!" she cried, bowing her head down further. "I just ran away!"_

"_Tell us what you remember!"_

"_A horrible sound, like clocks being ripped out of bodies! And…."_

"_And what?"_

"_A war cry, and the words 'manxome foe' echoing in the air."_

_Immediately, the queen stood up and threw a handful of ice at the nearest soldier, freezing and breaking him in the same angry motion. "No! This cannot be! We refuse to believe it! It is too soon!"_

_Sidney actually stepped back in shock. "Your Hi-"_

"_Send messengers to Heart, Clover, and Spade! We want all four countries to be prepared for war! Call all soldiers to the castle bearing arms! Send the women and children far from the land! Do not waste a single moment!"_

_A second to recover, and he quickly turned and yelled, "You heard the Queen! Find me three scribes, three messengers! NOW!" All around was chaos and running, people sending information, noise that could not be broken but for the orders of the queen._

_But from the floor came a whimper. "Too late…."_

"_Speak wisely, child, or you will find your mouth permanently frozen," Crysta hissed._

"_You are too late, my Queen. Far, far too late."_

_When Sidney finally stopped running and looked back, he could only remember three things:_

_ The girl's smile, teeth pointed and glistening with blood_

_ Afterimages rising all around, covering the brilliant gold hall in shade and shadow_

_ And in the moment that his queen died, the Country of Diamonds turned into a wasteland of broken clocks and rivers of blood_

* * *

Author's Note (04/28/13): I haven't had the time to write in many years, but I found the Kuni no Alice series' full of compelling characters and incredible lands. I love getting the chance to work with such a brilliant world, and I want to see how far I can go in a story like this. And yes, I know – action/adventure based off an otome dating game? *laughs* I'm hoping that people will give it a chance, though.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Horrors Past Imagination

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuni no Alice series; QuinRose does. I only own the original storyline and any characters not seen in the original games.

* * *

Chapter 2

Musical Accompaniment: Tree of the Dead (300 soundtrack)

A loud groan of pain tore itself from Sidney's throat, his body spasming from the blood loss, and Alice gave a small start; the sound jerked her out of the memory and into reality. Now he looked weaker and paler, like a ghost being born.

_He's dying._

"Your Highness, he ain't lookin' good," Gowland said in a low voice. "I think he's told us everything."

"Then give him some medicine to ease the pain," Vivaldi commanded. Gray took the medicine box from Gowland, and quietly prepared a syringe.

"Wait, wait! Can't we do something? Anything to help?!" Alice asked.

No one spoke as Gray tied a tourniquet and gave the injection. There may have been regret or remorse in a few eyes, but she saw no sadness or guilt. _No, that's not a feeling known in this world. Death isn't anything truly permanent to them._

But it was to her, and she whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Quicker than she expected, Sidney's good hand shot out and grabbed a handful of her hair. With a little squeak of surprise, Alice was pulled down so closely that she could feel his lips against her ear and blood seeping into her clothes. A few shouts from behind her that disappeared as soon as the black rabbit spoke.

"Crysta told me to run… I had to _leave my queen_… to find you…." When Alice tried to pull back so everyone could hear, the fingers in her hair tightened and she kept still. "Outsider… if you are killed… your heart eaten… it will destroy Wonderland... please…."

A strangled sound from deeper in his chest, and he whispered, "Please destroy my clock."

It happened too quickly. Alice was ripped out of his hand – leaving behind more than a few strands of hair – and her mind barely processed the sight of Pierce's knife winging down into Sidney's chest with merciless aim. She let out a high shriek at the sound of cracking glass and the sight of spurting blood.

"It's okay, Alice," Boris said – him arm holding her in place – as he petted her hair. "You're okay."

"B-b-b-but Pierce-!"

"It's not your fault."

Moments later, Sidney's body shimmered in the air, and his clock lay lifeless on the ground. The tip of the knife was embedded deep inside, and even from a distance Alice could see the damage he had done.

"Can I kill him?" Ace brightly asked, already holding out his sword with the tip pointed to Pierce's neck.

"I heard it," the mouse said, almost defiantly, as he stared at Julius. "He asked her to kill him, but she's too nice and won't do it, so I did."

They stayed that way for a handful of seconds before Julius slowly shook his head. Pierce's knife disappeared, and he tossed the remnants of the broken watch at the Clockmaster.

"Back down, Ace, until we find out what the Black Rabbit told Alice," he said, tucking the clock away. Ace's sword slid into its scabbard and everyone's attention turned to her.

Alice gave herself a good mental shake; there were bigger issues to deal with than her squeamishness. "He said not to get killed, since it could destroy Wonderland. I mean… so far so good, right? No one's killed me yet."

"We can give it a try!" Black Joker said.

Alice made a face. "You're not eating my heart."

Murmurs and thoughtful whispers as everyone spoke their concerns.

Then someone yelled, "Oh SHIT!"

Everyone turned shocked eyes to Gowland, of all people, his hand pressed angrily to his forehead. "Shit! Shit! SHIT!"

"Something wrong?" Blood asked in a painfully deadpan voice.

"I know what we're dealing with!"

"Great. Care to tell us, or is it part of a game?" Boris asked.

"This is no game, Cheshire Cat, and there is no time to jest."

Alice thought that the Joker had spoken, but it was the King of Hearts who stepped forward. She wasn't the only one who was surprised; it showed on nearly everyone's face, particularly Vivaldi's. "It would be best if we spoke on the situation. We will try to be succinct.

"This is not war. The thing we are speaking of is a solitary creature –the Jabberwock."

The name was so unbelievable that Alice let out a hysterical snort. She immediately covered her mouth, but was relieved that no one else seemed to be particularly affected by the word.

"All right, I'll bite. What's a… whatever you called it?" Elliot asked.

"A Jabberwock is a creature of hideous power, much greater than even those of the Role Holders. It is nothing close to human, more like a vicious beast that thrives on the lives of the Wonderland inhabitants. Truly, it is a demonic being, timeless and ageless. As it eats the living, it steals the form of those it devours and ransacks their thoughts and memories. Those that have been taken cannot be reborn, and the Jabberwock controls all afterimages as one's brain controls a finger."

As he spoke, Alice felt a cold come over her, and she shivered and huddled deeper into Boris's arms.

Vivaldi was nearly white. "This cannot be. We have not heard of such a thing in our years. Something that controls the Afterimages is…."

"I have," Joker said, and it was a bad sign to see that he looked… less composed. "But I was told that the Jabberwock was sealed away over forty-four thousand time-turns ago."

Alice's mind tried to wrap itself around that number; couldn't do it. _So about 6 hours is in one time-turn, just throwing out an average depending on the sky's mood... that's a little over seven thousand days, but divide by three hundred fifty, rounding down for days in a year…. _"That's over twenty years ago!"

"Years? What's that?" Dum asked, with Dee echoing, "What're years?"

"I've heard that word before," Nightmare said. "It measures large numbers of time-turns. Not a phrase we use here, but in your world it is much easier to measure such a thing."

"One year is about, uhm, two thousand time turns, kind of," she said, rechecking her math. "But if it was sealed away so long ago, what is this Jabberwock thing doing walking around now?"

"The better question is, how do we kill it again?" Elliot asked.

"It completely slaughtered the Queen of Diamonds, and did one hell of a job on the Black Rabbit," Peter said grimly. "While I bear no love to either, they were not weak Role Holders."

"They were unprepared. We are not," Blood said.

"Ain't that simple," Gowland said with a shake of his head.

"He is correct," the King said. "The Jabberwock eats the Wonderland inhabitants; if it can be cornered away from people, it will return to a state of, shall we call it, stasis. Inactivity, possibly dormancy, but not death. However, the reason that Black Rabbit was so concerned for Alice is that, well, if the Jabberwock were to eat her heart, it would live forever."

"What?" and everyone's attention sharpened to a sword-point on the king.

"The Jabberwock hungers for power; the faceless carry sand-grains of life while the Role Holders carry many hourglasses worth. A heart, however, is an eternal thing; it is beyond all time. The Jabberwock could devour her heart and become indestructible. It could raze Wonderland to dust."

_Oh God,_ and now her throat was dry and her knees felt like wilted flower petals. _This isn't happening. This can't be happening._

"We could just kill Alice!" Black Joker said. "Then, no worries!"

Peter actually fired a handful of rounds on the Joker, who half-stepped out of the way.

"Not feeling it, huh?" Black Joker asked.

"Then we will just have to protect her until we destroy the Jabberwock," Gray said without a hint of hesitation.

"No, we don't."

Everyone stopped and looked at Julius, his arms crossed and expression cold.

"Say that again, Clockmaster," Vivaldi said, her scepter aimed at his face, "and your head will roll for such cowardice."

Julius didn't blink. "We are not going to protect Alice. We are going to send her back to her world."

Her first thought was reprieve. _Home! I can go back! I'll be safe! I'll be fine!_

_But…_ and shame suddenly followed,_ they won't be. My friends, the family I made here will still be in danger. No, I don't want to leave them._

"Your idea is sound, Clockmaster, but it is not a viable option," the King said, and he turned sorrowful eyes on Alice. "The only one who can destroy the Jabberwock is the Outsider."

The words actually made her so light-headed that the room went momentarily black, and only Boris's hands kept her from hitting the floor like a ton of bricks. As it was, he was forced to one knee and Nightmare offered another set of hands to help her down. She felt his fingers brush her forehead with gentle affection.

'_Just sleep, Alice, and we'll take care of you,' _he whispered into her thoughts, but she could still hear the voices echoing around.

"That's insane! Absolutely ridiculous!"

"She will not be put in that position!"

"This is not a debatable matter. This is an unchanging Rule."

"It's a shitty one."

"Yeah, we think so too."

"But that does not make it any less a Rule that even we all must abide."

"So we let a helpless girl walk up to a monster and say, 'Pardon me, but I need to kill you now'?"

"Oh God, we're all going to die."

"Or she will. Either way, we're all going to hell in a hand basket."

Finally, Alice found her voice. "Tell me something." She pushed herself into a seated position, holding both Boris and Nightmare's hands, and looked from Gowland to the King. "You're certain that I'm the one who has to stop the Jabberwock."

"Alice, don't," Peter warned, but she held up a hand and he went mercifully silent.

"Yes. We would not fabricate this truth," the King said, and Gowland nodded.

"How do you know so much? Why should I believe you?"

Gowland waggled his thumb between himself and the King. "'Cause we were alive durin' the last game. This ain't our first rodeo."

"Oh! Oh," she said, and it was somewhat of a relief that this game wouldn't be without a few ringers, "I guess... okay. So, then, how do I kill the Jabberwock?"

"There is a weapon called the Vorpal Blade, made only for the hands of Outsiders," the King explained. "It is specifically created to kill the Jabberwock, but it has not been seen since at least the Jabberwock's last appearance."

"Over twenty years ago… but I need to find it, hopefully sooner rather than later," she said as she stood, sounding far calmer than she felt. "So, uhm, anyone wanna come with?"

She meant the last phrase like a jest; if anyone (_everyone_) backed down, Alice would not have been the least bit surprised. It was, for all intents and purposes, a suicide mission. The Wonderland inhabitants weren't too careful about other people's lives, but they certainly protected their own with a vengeance.

But Vivaldi held her scepter up and gravely said, "We propose a truce between the warring factions. Heart Castle, Hatter Family, Park Duchy, Circus Land, Tower Lords – we are all to put aside our power struggles and territory battles until the matter of the Jabberwock has been completely resolved. Are we all in accordance?"

Gowland shrugged. "I'm game."

"Of course," Nightmare said, and Julius nodded in agreement.

"Yes," Joker said.

"Anything for the young lady," Blood said.

A soft red glow from the gemstone on top, and a little beam of light hit all the Role Holders over their clocks. Once it disappeared, two little symbols – a red heart and green clover – were evident on their clothes.

"What's this?" Ace asked, poking at his jacket.

"Evidence of our agreed truce; any one whom goes against the agreement will be immediately killed," Vivaldi said, then gave everyone a brilliantly sadistic smile. "Dear Alice, gentlemen – let the Game begin."

* * *

Author's Notes (05/05/13): I'm so happy that everyone here this enjoys the story so far. The more I read the manga and get info about the games, the more fun this whole series becomes. I'm hoping to update on a weekly basis; it might decrease to once every two weeks depending on my work schedule, but so far so good! Feel free to leave a note or a thought.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Reconnaissance Efforts

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuni no Alice series; QuinRose does. I only own the original storyline and any characters not seen in the original games.

* * *

Chapter 3 – Reconnaissance Efforts

"I still don't understand why I have to stay here," Alice said, caught between frustration and nerves.

"Because I would rather let the Queen cut off my head than send you into dangerous territory," Peter said.

"But since the Jabberwock's been all over the other countries, and probably won't return because no one's left, shouldn't it be safe?"

Julius shook his head as he replaced a few borrowed books. "I realize that you want to do more, but please understand that you are the one irreplaceable person in this Game. We have no intention of letting you heedlessly risk yourself."

_I know, I know_, Alice thought to herself, trying not to pace up and down the Hatter's library. It just felt wrong, and a little bit odd, not to be in the thick of things. No one had really truly been concerned for her safety before, except in a distant 'you're the Outsider so we'll try not to kill you' way. Why was it different now?

_Because now it does matter. Because if I can save the home of my friends, then I'll do it._

Her mind wandered back one time-turn ago, when they made the decision to split up and gather information. The groups had mixed alliances with an ease that Alice hadn't believed possible. It was actually kind of heartwarming, but she wouldn't make bets that they were going to keep playing this nice.

_Likely someone would be coming back yelling and cursing about being shot at or attacked._ The thought almost made her smile, except that there was a great possibility someone might not come back. _Please, everyone, please come back._

"Alice?"

She popped back into reality. "Yes?"

"Would you do me a favor?"

_Anything to keep from going crazy with worry._ "Sure."

Julius pulled Sidney's broken watch from his pocket; he held it the same way Gray held broken birds. "Pierce tried his best, but he did not completely destroy it. Although I know why he asked, as the Clockmaster it goes against all that I am to follow through. I realize that it is not a gentle thing I ask, but would-"

"I'll take care of it," and gently lifted the watch from his fingers.

"… Thank you."

So she scurried out of the library and with some direction from the maids, found Elliot's room. She'd been there only a few times, but quickly found what she was looking for.

Then she ducked outside and, making sure that no one saw her, entered the private rose garden. Despite the danger and chaos that was imminent, Alice's heart still settled at the sight of such beautiful blooms. In the center of the grassy lawn near the tiny tea table, she knelt and set Sidney's clock onto the ground. Her fingers brushed the shattered glass face, marveling at the delicate ruin laid out before her.

_This could be Julius's. This could be Vivaldi's. This could be any of my friends._

"Thank you for everything," she whispered, and pulled out a perfectly serviceable handgun from her apron. "I won't forget you. I promise."

She aimed at the broken watch face, trying not to tremble too much, and pulled the trigger.

* * *

"So are we really going to find it?" Pierce asked as both Dee and Dum dashed ahead.

"I'm not sure, to be honest, but we have no better leads," Gray said, and he couldn't shake the feeling that more people were here than just the four of them.

The trail between the Forest of Doors and the capital of Spade seemed longer than usual, not helped by the new time-turn of dusk. There was very little sound from deeper in the woods, as if all the animals normally alive were gone. If something was using the atmosphere to its advantage, it was doing a good job of playing mind games.

Pierce's ears and tail were twitching back and forth, and his knuckle knife was already in hand. Even the twins were in their adult forms; the child forms might have been more comfortable, but they needed the extra boost of power and speed for emergencies.

_Which, luck willing, is just a precaution._

"Uhuun," Pierce whined. "I still don't understand why we had to come here."

"From what Gowland was saying, the Country of Spade was the last resting place of the Jabberwock, at least until it woke up."

The Duke explained that the Jabberwock had been buried beneath the Castle, and it was only an assumption that the Vorpal Blade would be there too. Despite being so knowledgeable about the situation on the whole, Gowland seemed to have only sparse facts about the Jabberwock. The King was even less helpful, and offered no insight on his part.

"This is a bad idea. A very bad idea."

"If you have a better one, I'm open to suggestions."

"Running would be nice."

From up ahead, the twins frantically waved their hands. "Mr. Lizard! Mousie!" Dee yelled. "Get over here!"

"You might get your wish," Gray said as the two of them sped up.

"Not like this!"

But when they reached the opening between forest and city, Gray didn't expect to see… darkness.

Nothing but darkness.

Afterimages mobbed the streets like roaches, haunting the roads with an aimless despair. They were everywhere, oozing over the edges of buildings and sliding down walls until they softly splattered on the floor. Irreparable clocks lay strewn about like unloved children's toys. Every now and then, an afterimage would poke and prod at the clock pieces, but the sound was like nails scraping against the soul.

It was a horrifying picture, and Gray felt that one emotion he'd hidden well for years come rushing up

_**fear**_

because what they were seeing was a literal plague of afterimages, an event that only occurred after an epidemic or war when the afterimages were so numerous and desperate that they did something they never did otherwise.

A plague of afterimages didn't just go after newly-deceased clocks; they would go after clocks in perfectly good working order.

The twins were holding their axes in white-knuckled grips, barely keeping themselves in place although all instincts screamed fight-or-flight. Pierce was crouched on the ground, in a pose suited for jumping up and slashing (or running) at any moment. The four of them stood at the edge of the road, barely breathing in tiny measured gasps.

"Follow me, boys," Gray murmured, slowly backing up inch by inch. "Don't say a word."

They did so with unwavering obedience, and in the time it took them to back up nearly two blocks from the city, time had turned to full midnight.

Gray let out a breath, and leaned against a tree for support. "All right, I think we're far enough away now."

"What the hell was that?" Dum demanded.

"When a large population of people die – hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands – this is what you get. A plague of afterimages," and he explained exactly what the implications were.

He'd seen the twins shift their ages countless times now; it was when they suddenly switched back and sat on the ground in shock that he realized how very over their heads this situation had become.

"We can't do this," Pierce said, trying to sound firm but failing miserably. "I don't wanna die. Let's go back to Heart."

Gray wished he could have lit up a cigarette, and settled for playing with one of his throwing knives. "I don't think that's an option."

"Why not?"

"Because the Vorpal Blade is somewhere here, and if we don't find it, then all of Wonderland will look like that."

The Dormouse shook his head, as if the denial could prevent such a thing from happening. Tears glistened in his eyes. "What do we do, uhuuhn?"

Although Gray never had any particular affection for either Pierce or Tweedle Dee and Dum, they had agreed long ago to protect Alice and were more than vigilant in their duty. In some ways, it was enough to tell their character in the ways that counted.

_So I will do my best to protect them in turn._

"We have no choice but to head to the Castle of Spade, but we need a way to distract the afterimages," and Gray steeled himself for what would come. "So when the next time-turn comes, I want you three ready to run towards the castle while I lead them away. Understand?"

A triad of eyes stared at him with unwavering intensity.

"Good."

* * *

"Looks like Diamond hasn't done too badly for itself," Ace said as the trio wandered out of the Forest. "I mean, all the buildings are still standing."

"Not terribly reassuring, though, that we have seen no one thus far," Blood said.

"Maybe they evacuated in time?" Boris shrugged.

"Then why did the Black Rabbit come bleeding to us? And, for that matter, why didn't more of the Diamond citizens come flocking to Clover and Heart?"

Neither Holder had a good answer, but Blood wasn't expecting one. Instead, they continued to meander into Diamond's capital – and towards the castle. Still, it was possible that the people were hiding from the Jabberwock even though it appeared to be gone.

"I would like us to split up to cover more ground," Blood said. "Boris, have you been here before?"

"Yeah, a bunch of times."

"Good. I want you to head towards the Train Station. I will take the Graveyard and Museum. You…," and he trailed off at the sight of Ace's smiling visage, "just keep walking. Try not to get killed."

"Aw, come on! I can do searching, too."

"While the prospect of letting you wander aimlessly through Diamond for time immemorial, our young lady would be upset if you didn't return. Boris and I will find you when we need you."

Ace grumbled a bit more, and when he inadvertently veered off the main road, Blood sighed and let him go.

"You sure about that?" Boris asked. "Letting him go off on his own while a huge evil creature stalks the land?"

"I deeply doubt that Ace will be lucky enough to run into it. Let's hope that whatever it is, it has left Diamond for now. For us, we will meet at the Castle in about sixty minutes."

Boris didn't look like he believed it, but he sped off in one direction while Blood went another way.

It was more than a little unsettling that there were literally no faceless around; although he didn't usually give a second thought to the people, there was no denying that they were a natural part of his surroundings. Cities had people to give it life, and this one was sorely lacking. Now that they were gone… it felt like a definite sign of this country's destruction.

_Likely dead_, Blood thought. _The Jabberwock either ate them, or destroyed them._

Judging by the lack of clock parts on the ground, he could take a good guess as to the answer. And that meant that the Jabberwock not only a lot of new life energy in its stores, but also a whole cadre of afterimages to manipulate.

_Wonderful. Simply marvelous._

Finally, he reached the Graveyard and pushed aside the gates with his cane. The creaking of old metal was enough to set his nerves on end; the sight of so many tombstones marking absolutely nothing only fueled his carefully controlled anxiety.

"Gravekeeper! It's Blood Dupre, the Hatter, here to speak on behalf of Heart and Clover."

No response.

"Jericho Bermuda! Answer me!" he tried again, walking deeper into the graveyard.

Just the motion of trees and grass in the evening breeze to answer him.

He changed the cane to a machine gun, holding it casually in one hand but sharply vigilant. The silence was almost painful, and every tiny sound made by nature – birdsong, leaf rustling, his own clock-tick – just increased the sense of anticipation.

But his vigilance had only been a precaution; nothing else appeared in the graveyard. And when he went into the Museum, it too was noiseless. Only the sound of his footsteps echoing on the tile floor showed evidence of life. Even the paintings were quiet, as if someone had turned them into truly lifeless images.

And no Jericho to be found. _Which can mean nothing good_.

At the end of it, Blood shut the metal gates and headed up towards the Castle. He wandered a bit, keeping an ear and eye out for an aberrant red jacket along with anything else out of place. Soon enough, however, he reached the gates and saw Boris already standing there, almost dancing on the balls of his feet.

"Feeling a bit high-strung, Cat?"

"This place gives me the creeps. Nothing at the Station or on the way over. This is a freakin' afterimage town, without the afterimages."

"We're quite lucky to have seen none thus far. Imagine if the country was filled with them."

Boris's tail actually fluffed up in nervousness. "Yeah, I'm done with this place."

"Except we haven't checked the castle. Crysta may have, though some stroke of luck, survived the encounter with the Jabberwock."

"Tell me you don't actually believe that."

"Absolutely not," Blood said with a completely straight expression. "The Black Rabbit said as much. But we don't know if it left any clues behind or information about where it might strike next, and how."

"Fine. I still think it's a stupid idea, though."

"Duly noted. Go look for Ace."

He may have been resistant, but Boris understood an order when he heard it. In the meantime, Blood stalked around the courtyard, looking for anything… well, just about anything.

_Though I would not be particularly upset if we found nothing here, if only for the reason that anything of value we may find could well turn out to be something quite dangerous._

Then, as he came around to the front doors, he noticed something odd. There was water on the ground, right at the huge double doors, and slowly dripping down a handful of stone steps. It had been a perfectly clear day, as usual, so no reason for a puddle to be increasing in size.

_Odd. Where did that come from?_

Survival instincts kicked up as he took a step towards the closed gates, and he immediately thought better of moving in that direction. _Best wait until the other two are back_.

Nighttime had fallen by the time Boris returned, fuming mad, with a still-cheerful Ace in tow. "This idiot kept trying to take shortcuts back!"

"Hey, I knew we'd get back here eventually," Ace said, looking not the least bit guilty over Boris's exasperation. If they hadn't been in such a dire situation, Blood would have enjoyed watching the two of them play against each other.

As it was, there was no time for rest or other amusements. He simply stood up, having taken his repose on a well-sized stone a little away from the gates, and brushed off his trousers. "Then, since we are all in attendance, shall we go pay our respects to the Queen of Diamonds?"

The three walked together through the gates and into the courtyard, and as soon as Ace opened the doors, Blood finally saw why there was water seeping out from under the cracks.

Because the whole castle, inside spreading out, was covered in ice.

* * *

Nightmare let out a deep sigh as he brought himself back into the Tower from the dream-walk. Too many things happening at once, and so little of it was positive.

Gray and the afterimages. Blood and the ice castle. Alice looking for answers and finding none; Vivaldi coordinating a plan of attack.

_Elliot and Joker running through two countries like my personal war scouts while I sit here and try to outwit a creature billions of time-turns old. I'm not sure which is worse._

He was quite aware that his only strengths were psychic; which, if Gowland and the King were to be trusted, made him of very little help against the Jabberwock. Telepathy couldn't pierce the thoughts of something so utterly inhuman, never mind that it didn't have the ability to dream. His predecessor had fallen trying to defeat it; it was why some poor, sickly, useless kid had been pulled into the job all those years ago.

"Feeling sorry for yourself, Lord Nightmare?"

Nightmare glared up at the intruder. Black Joker paraded into the room, looking as playful (read, unwanted) as always. "I mean, if I were you, I'd be sorry too. Can't fight, can't run, can't do a damn thing. Sad, sickly incubus."

"If you're here to highlight my faults, I assure you that Gray does it often enough to last multiple Games. Go away."

"I'm here to talk, though. I just went to visit Alice at the Hatter's mansion. They're quite hard at work, pouring over all those books. In fact, it looks like the Prime Minister found something interesting," Joker said, taking a lazy seat on the desk, just to be as obnoxious as possible. "Want to hear?"

Nightmare didn't bother with pleasantries. He simply pulled the information from Joker's thoughts without delicacy; it made the other man wince, which was gratifying.

And then he felt himself go cold from head to toe, and tasted blood at the back of his throat.

"You're sure of this? White wasn't making it up?"

"Doubt it. He actually brought the book back from Heart Castle. Dates back to, oh, a time when we still tried to keep track of time. Probably a good six or so generations of Prime Ministers before him."

"Plus," Black Joker added, "White's not nearly as creative as I am. He wouldn't know a good practical joke if it bit him in the ass."

"Any other good news for me?"

"If we find something exciting, we'll be sure to stop by. I am heading back to prep the circus for a brand new production. Everyone's going to love it," Joker said congenially as he hopped off the desk. "And don't look so depressed, Lord Nightmare. Most people would be thrilled to be the shadow king running the whole show."

He made a tossing motion as he left the room, and a rose landed on the paperwork. When Nightmare reached for it, the rose turned into a black rabbit and hopped out of the room, leaving a trail of bloody footprints in its wake.

"Fall off a tightrope. A lot!" he yelled at the now-absent Joker, throwing himself into a coughing fit. He made a vague gesturing motion at the door as he stood up, and it shut and double locked itself. At the same time, he headed over to the cabinet, took a calming breath as soon as the paroxysms subsided, and opened the doors.

Joker's thoughts continued to ring in his head. "_When the Jabberwock eats someone, it gains the person's shape, weapon, and memories. However, if it gets the Incubus, it gains the ability to travel through dreams – and into the Outsider's world."_

He pulled out a tiny bottle of medicine, wiped it off with a handkerchief, and took one of the nearby syringes. With a shaking hand, he managed to draw up a few milliliters of fluid and tap away the extra bubbles. To distract himself, he pulled out a pill from three different bottles.

"_Can you imagine what would happen if the Jabberwock had access there? Infinite hearts, ready for the plucking."_

Tossed the pills in his mouth, followed them down with a chaser of water, trying vainly to ignore the awful taste. Then he took off his jacket, and rolled up the left arm's sleeve.

"_It _is_ going to come for you, you know."_

"I hate this, I hate this, I hate this," he muttered over and over as he put the needle against his left deltoid.

"_Better do something before you're the reason that Alice's world comes to an end."_

He punctured skin and depressed the plunger in one smooth motion. The medication burned like a son of a gun, making him bite his lip, and he waited for the feeling to pass. With another deep breath, Nightmare pulled out the needle and dropped it on the cabinet table. He barely managed to wobble over to the nearby couch before his legs gave out.

Although he hated needles and drugs with a passion, they weren't the only reason why he avoided the hospital. He had long ago figured out that the weaker he was physically, the more abilities he had – telepathy, flight, hypnotism, perhaps more. Conversely, the healthier he felt, the more his talents diminished until the only thing he could do was dream-walk.

Perhaps it was Wonderland's way of keeping him from becoming the most powerful Role Holder; that, or its god-awful sense of humor. Whatever the reason, Nightmare had never given a Dormouse's ass about being physically weak when he was infinitely more comfortable on the psychic planes… but now things were different. Joker was right; he was a target as much as Alice.

_I may not have a snowball's chance in hell of actually doing any damage against the Jabberwock, but there is one thing I can do – keep it from getting into Alice's world._

Even if it meant losing his powers one by one.

* * *

Author's Note (05/15/13): And here's where things start to get interesting. My two favorite genres to write are fantasy and action/adventure; Alice is about to experience both of those up close and personal. It'll be a wild ride.

To 'Guest' who asked about the symbols – I chose only Heart and Clover to represent the countries that the Role Holders who agreed to participate in the alliance. Both Diamond and Spade are, well, somewhat indisposed at the moment. I probably should have added the joker's mask, but I liked the simplicity of only two suits.

Thanks for reading!


	4. Live to be a Sacrifice

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuni no Alice series; QuinRose does. I only own the original storyline and any characters not seen in the original games.

* * *

Chapter 4 – Live to be a Sacrifice

Gray could almost feel the heralding of a time-turn. The afterimages, which had been so incredibly active at night, were starting to slow down. A miniscule amount, but better than nothing.

"Although I expect to draw the majority of their attention, I must caution you strongly," Gray explained to the trio as they started heading back to the main street. "Do not, under any circumstance, touch them. Weapons will go right through them, momentarily dissipate them, but – and I will say it again – do NOT allow them to touch you."

"What happens if we do?" Dum asked, still in his child form.

"Like, by accident or something," Dee followed.

"Very bad things will happen."

Dum frowned. "Like cuts and stuff? I mean, that's what happened to the Black Rabbit."

"Not in this case. You really want to know?"

"Yeah."

"They're called a 'plague of afterimages' because they infect living people with their shadow form. Once touched on the skin, the infection will slowly and painfully eat the body until it's nothing but a rotting corpse and only the clock is left behind for the afterimages to steal."

Red-blue-green eyes stared widely back at him. "Really?"

"Just… don't touch them."

"Can we lose them?" Pierce asked in a cracking voice. "In case one or two start following?"

"Yes. Turn corners, jump into windows, do anything to get out of their eyesight. The afterimages are single-minded, but not intelligent in a literal way."

"And when do we meet up with you?"

"I will try and meet you in the Castle. Do not wait for me; just start searching the grounds for anything possibly relating to the Jabberwock or Vorpal Blade. If, however, I do not arrive within five minutes, assume that I have been permanently delayed. After you have everything, run to the Forest and don't look back. Whatever happens, I will keep them occupied."

Dee blinked at him. "You really think you're gonna die, Mr. Lizard?"

"I am absolutely prepared for that possibility."

"Why're you doin' this, then?" Dum asked.

"The same as you three – because Alice needs us."

Silence and solemnity from the three youngest Role Holders.

They stood at the edge of the Forest, looking into the decimated land, and Gray hoped for once that Nightmare was listening to his thoughts despite being a country away.

_I'll come back, of course. But in case I don't… just tell Alice that she was always in my thoughts._

His clock started to tick faster as he watched the world begin to shift from night to dawn. When the sky was covered in a pastel blue, he took a deep breath. _It's time._

"You boys ready?"

Pierce nodded.

The twins looked at each other and nodded.

"Then, let's get-"

But before he had a chance to finish the sentence, something very hard whacked him in the back of the skull. Flashes of light peppered his vision and couldn't keep from falling to one knee from sheer surprise and disorientation.

"Sorry, Mr. Lizard." "But we're ready to die for Big Sis, too."

And he couldn't even let out a sound as he watched the Bloody Twins, wearing their adult forms and carrying their axes, run out into the street with wild abandon.

_No!_

"Come and get us, you stupid shadows!" "Yeah, let's play Tag!"

Just as he had predicted, the afterimages turned their attention onto the twins without hesitation. The shadows began floating after the two, moving more quickly than the mind would have thought possible. But the two dodged in different directions, heading down opposing side-streets, and the main road leading to the castle was clear as day.

He got to his feet with a curse. "Those idiots! They'll get themselves killed!"

Pierce squeaked, "But they cleared the road."

"… Goddammit, they did. Come on, we can't waste their effort."

And both the Lizard and Dormouse sped down the road as if the fires of hell were at their feet.

* * *

It wasn't the most fun game that Dee had ever played, but there was something truly exhilarating about fighting an enemy that you couldn't kill.

"Can't catch me!" he laughed, dancing away from the reaching claws; claws that ripped through the air with a sound like weeping dead. "Too slow!"

He swung up onto a hanging flagpole like one of Joker's clowns, standing on the metal pipe and letting his eyes track around the streets.

_Take care, brother. Big Sis'll be mad at me if you don't come back._

He jumped onto the nearest roof and kept on his merry way, dodging like an old pro around the darkness gathering near.

And then his foot caught on a bit of rubble, and the shadows moved in for the kill.

* * *

"That's kinda neat!" Dum said as he slashed at the nearest afterimages. "You guys disappear for a minute when hit with stuff!"

He spun like a tornado on the balls of this feet, winging the blade around with such speed that he had created an opening about twelve feet in diameter around his body. Each time an afterimage would float any closer, the force of his axe cutting through their form was enough to break their tenuous solidity for a few minutes.

"Mr. Lizard was right – better to hit you with weapons than anything else."

He saw a shadow start to hover above, and Dum didn't break a single second as he whirled the blade in an upward motion. The afterimage that had tried to jump on him let out a soundless scream, and Dum recognized the opening. He crouched for a split second before jumping straight into the air, almost three stories above the gathering, and used his axe as a grapping hook to hang off a nearby building.

From the corner of his eye, he watched Mr. Lizard and the Dormouse shove their way past mounds of debris until the door to the castle opened and they slipped inside.

_Gotta go!_

* * *

Gray let out a sigh of relief, but didn't give into false security. Afterimages couldn't come through solid things like walls and floors, but there was no telling if any other doors or windows were broken. "Keep going. I'll wait for them," he urged Pierce, sending the boy in the direction of the great hall. Meanwhile, he shoved the door shut but stood near enough to hear anything moving outside.

Now that he finally had a minute to take stock of everything, Gray touched the back of his head, which now had a tender lump the size of a small plum. His hand came back bearing semi-congealed blood.

_They broke skin, the little brats! No wonder Elliot keeps trying to kill them._

But whether or not he liked it, the twins had not made a bad decision. Having two people distracting the afterimages was an incredibly good idea; each could keep track of a smaller number, but still get the majority of attention. He and Pierce had only a small handful to dodge around, and reached the castle in less time than he had originally anticipated.

That didn't mean he wasn't pissed to the high sky.

A knock and a yell of, "Open sesame!", and Gray shoved open the door and seized the collar of whoever was standing outside in a single motion. He found out it was Dum as he shut the door.

"Hi, Mr. Lizard!"

"You are lucky that I'm not nearly as temperamental as Elliot or Blood, or you'd be something worse than dead," he growled. "Get in there and look for anything about the Jabberwock."

"Is Dee back?"

"Not yet."

"Oh. Okay," and Dum ran in the same direction as Pierce.

This wait was infinitely harder, and every sound made him want to jump and run. _Come on, Dee. Get over here so I don't have to go out and look for you, because I'll be damned if all four of us don't get to go home._

This time, when he heard the sound of footsteps on the cobblestones, Gray opened the door and Dee did a graceful rolling somersault into the building.

"Ta-da!"

"You two have given me more gray hairs than Nightmare does in a year."

"You're welcome."

The four met up in the great room, and the twins clicked their axe handles against each other in greeting.

"I am going to punish you both very badly when we get back to Heart," Gray promised. "Until then – Pierce?"

"Yup, Gowland was right. The Jabberwock was here before it got free. Lookie," and he led them to the center of the room. A large carpet had been pulled back, and a large spade symbol had been drawn over the bricks.

Pierce bent down and removed a single stone from the pattern. The floor gave an angry moan, and it seemed to buckle into itself. Gray braced himself for a fall, but a small staircase formed instead. The four hopped down into the darkness.

"There are torches here," and Dum shot one of them, setting the straw on fire. Then they realized exactly where they were.

It was a graveyard, complete with two graves. He hadn't seen many before, as it absolutely pointless to bury bodies (never mind illegal to bury the clocks), but Gray recognized the sentiment. The first was a flat stone nearly six feet long by six feet wide that had been broken neatly into two pieces. Underneath, he could see a deep hole; obviously what the Jabberwock had climbed out of. Inscribed on the stone was a poem, and gift of his lizard-self helped him to read through the dimness.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe'

_This… what the hell is this? What the goddamn hell is this?_

He pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled everything down as fast as possible. It was only when he reached the end of the poem that he found anything of (questionable) value.

'But he made no vorpal attack

The beamish boy was left for dead

Thou have not slain the Jabberwock

It lies colscusive beneath the tread

There is nothing vorpal here to be found

By zibbrid ones but always made

And when the manxome one is unbound

In glass heart gommeols blade'

Gray almost dropped his pen as emotions tumbled through him. Anger, despair, urgency, dread – all of it paled against one thought.

_The Vorpal Blade isn't here._

"Mr. Lizard, you wanna see this?" Dee asked.

He folded the paper and hid it in his jacket. The second tombstone was, instead, one that stood about a foot off the ground. In comparison to the first, it was painfully simple, but the knowledge that _someone_ was truly buried beneath made it that much more real.

Outsider: George Smith

1842-1863 (by Outsider years)

Reign of King Raven and Queen Musetta of Spade

We remember his sacrifice

And beneath the writing was the image of a heart overlaid upon a spade symbol. Through the heart was a sword, piercing the center and pointing down towards the grave.

Simpler, yes, but still of minimal help. He wrote that down, too. "Anything else, you three?"

"No Vorpal Blade," Pierce said mournfully. "Nothing hidden in the dirt."

"Is that it?" Dee asked.

"Did we fail Big Sis?" Dum asked.

_I don't know._ "No," Gray said. "But I think it's time to go. We need to get back to Heart and tell them it's not here. I think Spade has given us everything we need."

As they headed up the staircase, Gray knew something was wrong. He pulled out one of his throwing knives and, with barely a flick of his wrist, threw it outside the opening.

A puff of afterimage told him everything.

"They're waiting up there. Give me a moment to clear the way," he said, and didn't bother waiting for the boys to respond. Instead, he dashed straight up through the entryway, pulling his combat knives at the same time, and sliced through a handful of afterimages before they could register his presence. Another set of flash-steps, and he'd removed the last half-dozen in the chamber.

"Come on!"

All three were bearing their weapons, and followed him out without a wasted breath. This time, rather than heading to the front door, he led them to the courtyard.

"You know a lot about where we're going," Dee said.

"You been here before?" Dum asked.

"A few times, before I settled down as Lord Nightmare's assistant. If the plague knows we came through the front, they won't expect us to leave through the back."

"Good," Pierce said as they broke into the still-dawn time. "Time to hurry-scurry home."

"I agree."

The way back to the Forest was longer, not a straight shot down the main road, but they encountered fewer afterimages. Any that came close were quickly dissipated by knives or axes.

But almost a block away from the forest, Dee suddenly tumbled bonelessly to the ground.

"Brother!" Dum shouted, and all three turned in an instant and came to the blue twin's side. "Brother!"

"What's wrong?" Pierce asked, giving Dee a shake.

And then Gray saw what happened. "Get away from him!" he yelled, and pushed both kids back, brandishing his knives in their faces. "Get away!"

Dum actually snarled and lifted his gun to shoot, but Gray said, "Dee's hand! Look!"

With a flick of his wrist, Gray cut off the left arm of Dee's jacket and exposed what the boy had hidden so well. His first two fingers were turning black and contracting into themselves; an ugly shade of red was eating at the other three, and purple bruises began to bloom over his palm.

As they watched, stunned into motionlessness, Dee's middle finger began to turn black and the fingernail of his first finger fell off and puffed away.

_There's no way he got this injury just now,_ he thought with growing horror. _And there's no way that this doesn't hurt like death itself._

"What the hell is happening?" Dum demanded.

"He's been infected."

Both Pierce and Dum's mouths dropped. "What do we do?" and now the red-eyed twin had reverted to his child state, tears in his eyes.

Without a wasted motion, Gray threw the lifeless body over his shoulders, careful not to let the putrescent hand touch his skin. "Let's get somewhere safer."

All three booked it towards the forest with incredible single-mindedness. Pierce and Dum cut through any hovering afterimages, tight focus in their eyes. When they were standing just a few steps away from the Doors, Dee let out a groan of pain and actually rolled right off Gray's back. It was only by the grace of time-honed reflexes that he managed to soften the younger man's fall.

"Brother!" Dum yelled. "We're almost home!"

A mumble that Gray couldn't quite understand, and the trio leaned closer.

"Just go," Dee repeated, his voice filled with pain. "I'm dyin', and it's bringin' the shades closer."

He was right; the afterimages were sliding into the Forest when they hadn't dared to step beyond the city's paths.

"We're gonna get you home, brother!"

"No…."

"Don't be stupid! Of course we are!"

"No! If I go back, I'll poison Heart and Big Sis!"

The insight was painful and disquieting.

"Let's go," Pierce said, tugging on Gray's jacket. "They're coming closer."

A few slices of his blades and the closest group disappeared, but more were hovering at the Forest's entryway.

"I'm not leavin' you!" Dum yelled, reverting to his adult form and gripping his brother's collar for dear life.

"Just go!" Dee yelled back, clutching his bicep as if to rip off the offending arm.

_As if to rip off the arm…_

The answer came to him so quickly that Gray's stomach dropped, but he saw no other option. "Dum, do you want to save your brother's life?"

"Yes!"

"No matter what happens? No matter if he's hurt or injured forever?"

"He's my brother! I don't want him to die!"

Gray looked at Pierce. "Protect us until I'm done."

At first the Dormouse gaped at him, then stood up straighter and tilted his head up. "Yes!" he swore, falling into battle stance.

Gray cut a few strips of cloth into long pieces, and tied one over and over just below Dee's elbow. By now, all five fingers were black as death, and the red and purple streaks were crawling up past his wrist. He repeated it a second time, just an inch below to make doubly sure that the tourniquets would hold off any hemorrhaging. Then, once he was certain both were tight enough, he pushed the tip of his knife into Dee's hand. The blue-eyed twin didn't move as ugly black blood slowly dripped out.

"I can't even feel it," Dee said, almost dreamily.

"Do you have anything that can make you sleep? Medicine, a potion, _anything_?"

Dum pistol-whipped his brother hard enough that he probably put a crack in Dee's skull, but it knocked him out like a charm. _Well, I asked._

"Now pin Dee down. Leave his left arm out. Hold him in place like his life depends on it."

Dum did just that, and in the background was the sound of Pierce's knife whipping through the air as a few afterimages found them. Gray stabbed one of his knives through Dee's palm deeply into the dirt, pinning it in place like a butterfly wing.

"It'll be okay, brother. You'll be okay," Dum whispered, clinging to Dee like a child.

"Give me your axe."

He did, and Gray got to his feet.

"Close your eyes, Dum."

"No."

Gold eyes met fierce red ones.

"Hurry, hurry!" Pierce said, bordering on frantic.

_I'm so sorry, Dee._

He swung the axe in a single, perfect arc.

* * *

Author's Note (05/28/13): Sorry I missed last week; I managed to catch one hell of a cold, and was painfully unable to focus on words. I'm feeling much better now, enough so that I could write this kind of chapter. And this isn't even the worst of what will happen to Wonderland. Still, only the things that matter are worth fighting for like this.

Once again, thanks for reading!


	5. Demons Are Coming

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuni no Alice series; QuinRose does. I only own the original storyline and any characters not seen in the original games.

* * *

Chapter 5 – Demons are Coming

Ice crunched beneath Blood's boots, and he couldn't help but be impressed with all the damage wrought in such a vast area.

"The Diamond Queen certainly gave her best in this fight," he said, almost musing to himself.

"No kidding," Boris breathed, puffs of steam coming from his mouth. His mouth was curled up in disgust. "God, something smells awful. What curled up and died here?"

"Everything, from the looks of it."

The entire Castle of Diamond was covered in ice. From the highest peaks to the very stone floor they walked on, snow and frost coated every inch of the palace. He was actually using his cane as a cane for once; it cracked through the ice, and helped him keep balance over the pristine sheet. Chunks of ice were scattered everywhere, as if hat-sized hail had fallen from the sky. The whole picture was beautiful in the faint twilight, but there was no denying the haunted sense that reflected off the walls.

For within those ice pieces were bits of faceless; fingers, faces, clothes, everything and anything that could have been frozen had been trapped.

Ace kicked one of the pieces into the wall, and it shattered like fragile crystal. For a moment, the hand trapped inside flopped lifelessly onto the ground before disappearing in a cloud of dust.

"Why'd she do this?" he asked.

"Likely to kill her people before the Jabberwock could eat them," Blood said with a hint of distaste on his voice. "Let's keep moving."

The throne room was populated even more strongly with the dead. Some of them were whole bodies, others were bits and pieces.

With a handful of well-placed jumps, Boris reached the upper level and throne proper. "Looks like the Queen herself didn't do so well," and he held up Crysta's bloodied veil. A delicate sniff on the cloth, and then he dropped the veil like a hot rock and began to retch. "Oh hell! This smells like rotting shit and dead everything! I can't even – God, _this_ is the thing I've been smelling!"

Ace wandered around the room, moving like a specter over the slippery floor. "Hey, I got a question. What's the Jabber-thingie look like?"

"Its original form? I have no idea, but it steals the forms of the faceless it's eaten."

"So literally anyone we come across can be the Jabberwock?"

Blood ignored the chill sliding down his back. "Yes."

The Knave of Hearts pulled his sword from its scabbard. "Awesome."

"So what're we hoping to find here?" Boris asked as he jumped down, still rubbing his nose. "'Cause everything is either frozen, dead, or both."

"To be perfectly honest, I'm not certain there is anything to find," Blood said.

Ace took a long look at the crystal ice ceiling. "Well, we did find out something."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. We know something really dangerous came through here. Maybe attacked the Queen, or else she wouldn't have gone all crazy like this."

"Brilliant," Boris drawled. "Like some weird ancient horror from beyond time."

The sarcasm went right over Ace's head; Blood ignored it.

"Your point?"

"So if Crysta killed all her people, and the Jabber-thingie needs to eat clocks to survive, where'd it go to finish dinner?"

"Right here."

Blood spun around so quickly that shards of ice kicked up beneath his feet, and he was lucky enough to have brought his cane up in time. A coil of _something_ slammed against the weapon, and the force sent him flying backwards. He hit the nearest wall hard enough to wind him and crack his head against the ice, leaving dots of blood behind.

It took a few moments to regain his mental footing, and in that short time he wasn't certain that was he saw was real.

Both Ace and Boris were fighting with everything they had against a too-quick Jericho Bermuda. The older man was no pushover in a fight, evidenced on the few occasions that Blood had gone against the Gravekeeper in territory battles, but this wasn't like him. Jericho kept dodging a hair's-breadth away from Ace's sword, or effortlessly stepping past a bullet that should have found its mark. In contrast, the other two Role Holders kept getting whacked with Jericho's shovel or tripping over nothing when they should have been fine, especially considering Boris's agility and Ace's skill.

And the less Blood focused on Jericho, the more he could see the way the Gravekeeper's shadow kept extending out from his body when it shouldn't have. It was subtle, like an ant moving across the wall while a party took place, but he could see it. Each time it flickered like candlelight, something would keep either man from finding their mark.

"What are you doing here?" Jericho demanded.

"Just visiting. This isn't a very nice way to treat tourists," Ace grinned, even as a whisper of darkness whipped against the outside of his leg.

The bigger man didn't respond; he simply spun in place, blocking another of Boris's bullets, and aimed a well-timed kick to Ace's gut. The Knave should have blocked it, but something got past his guard and sent him skidding across the ice. Boris took advantage of the distraction, and managed to get a shot into Jericho's forearm, but the bigger man just spun around and skimmed Boris's hip with his own bullet.

But Ace quickly found his balance, almost delighted by the exercise, and attacked again. His steps were surprisingly quick, and his sword cut through the ice and stone on the ground to give them purchase. "Sure you don't wanna talk this out?"

"No," Jericho said, and whacked his shovel against Ace's sword.

And, while the two of them were distracted, Blood dashed across the floor and swung his cane underneath Jericho's chin. The sheer surprise and strength behind the action sent the bigger man flying backwards, tumbling ass over teakettle until he hit a column of frozen faceless. Before anyone could move, Boris jumped over, pressed both barrels against Jericho's head, and fired nearly a dozen shots in a row. Then, with the same catlike speed, he dodged back a handful of steps. The dodo's body lay lifeless on the ground for a handful of clock-ticks, and all three let out quiet breaths of relief.

"That wasn't the Gravekeeper," he hissed.

"Yes, I gathered that," Blood said, walking up to the ruined body. He poked it with his cane and, just to be certain, fired his own gun into the body. It jerked and danced from the velocity, but did not move once he finished. "Ace? Would you care to finish this?"

"You bet!" His sword arced down and severed the man's neck. This time, his body didn't even jump or move as the head went rolling away. Ace gave it a kick as if playing ball.

Blood adjusted his top hat before stepping towards the nearest doorway. "Come, let's make haste."

The other two followed, though Boris's expression was full of confusion. "Why? Didn't we just kill him?"

"I have a feeling that if such a thing was so easy to kill, then dear Alice wouldn't be quite as important as fate is decreeing. No, either that wasn't the Jabberwock, or it allowed us to win for some god-forsaken reason or another."

"Oh, great," Boris said, and he picked up his speed.

But barely a handful of steps away from the nearest door, Blood felt a screaming, sharp pain run through his leg and stop him in his tracks. He looked down, almost in a daze, and saw a spike of blackness running clear through his left thigh.

_That's right. It can manipulate afterimages_.

The spike suddenly retracted, and the speed at which it pulled out actually ripped a gasp of pain from his throat. He tumbled to the ground as the strength in his leg disappeared; echoes on each side, and Blood realized that he wasn't the only one who took a hit. Ace was grimacing, clutching his stomach as blood dripped through his fingers. Boris's left arm hung uselessly and a gaping hole was evident in his shoulder.

"My aim is rather imperfect like this," an odd, disconnected voice said from behind. "I applaud your, ah, fastidiousness in trying to kill me."

Someone kicked him in the leg and Blood let out another strangled gasp. Through the stars in his vision, he saw a headless (_what the devil?_) man walk into view.

"You _were_ the Jabberwock," he said, if only to vocalize the truth

"Could smell you a mile away," Boris growled.

"Correct, Role Holders," the man said, regrowing his head at an incredible disgusting rate; it was like watching a baby bird pushing through a yolk-like cowl. Its voice came from somewhere that Blood didn't care to think about. "What an interesting group. I have not seen the Hatter and the Knave working so closely together before. Or the Cheshire Cat risking itself without an Outsider close by."

"Glad to entertain you," Ace said roughly.

"Well done. But the Queen of Diamonds put up an impressive fight, and I have lost much of my energy in trying to defeat her," he said, with his head now fully formed into a random faceless. "It shall be a pleasure to indulge in –"

Blood lifted his machine gun and fired into the Jabberwock without waiting for an opening, ripping out chunks of flesh as blood sprayed everywhere. It let out a throaty sound from the attack, but an angry gesture sent more afterimages flying from its fingers. Blood barely knocked a few out of the way, but he couldn't dodge them on one knee; two lances went through the right side of his chest as one went through his right shin.

It'd been too long since he'd been injured this badly, and the pain nearly blinded him to the rest of the world.

"You shall suffice as the first of many," the creature whispered, reforming its body into a faceless woman, and opened her mouth like a snake unhinging its jaws.

Ace's sword suddenly bloomed from the back of the Jabberwock's mouth. "How about no?" he said, and whipped the sword out and severed her jaw. At the same time, Boris jumped forward and tackled Blood. It was excruciating; he was pulled right off the lances, but both managed to keep from getting impaled by more afterimages.

"Let's make like trees," Boris yelled, hefting Blood around his shoulders. He didn't hide a wince as the extra weight pulled on his wound.

"And leave? A fine idea," he coughed out, only able to hobble along by sheer willpower. They left a trail of blood in their wake, mixing on the stones and clothes, and were so close to the door -

"MOVE!" Ace yelled.

Blood threw himself to the left as Boris went right; he felt the breeze of a shadow pass right next to his cheek, but the Cat wasn't so lucky. A spear of afterimage went right through his stomach, just to the left of his navel, and Boris screamed as he was physically lifted off the ground like a fish on a hook.

"I will settle for the Cheshire Cat first," the Jabberwock said, her head bobbing up and down unnaturally from the cut, and Ace lay behind her on the ground, trying to stand. She pulled Boris's now-limp body in her direction.

Blood snarled, "Like hell," and, ignoring the fire in his whole body, ran and slashed at the darkness with his cane. It dissipated and Boris fell right into his arms just as Ace slashed upwards with his blade into the faceless' back. Cat and Hatter almost hit the ground like rocks, but Boris kept some of his dexterity regardless of injury and managed to land on his feet. "Come on, you're the one who's going to get us out of here."

"Not too much pressure," Boris said, blood running down the side of his mouth. "Just gotta reach the door," and he gestured to the one they'd been aiming at, a tiny door that likely led to a servant's hallway. It might as well have been a hundred miles away for all the likelihood of reaching it, but Blood just gritted his teeth and whacked away any afterimages that came too close.

"No time like the present," Ace said, jumping over a handful of slashing tentacles. Bits of hair went flying as the afterimages cut close, and Ace sheathed his sword in order to support both men. Blood didn't miss the growing red spot on the Knave's jacket, but there was no reason to make a deal of it when all three of them were all vying for the honor of being the closest to death.

Another coil of darkness, and Ace hissed as it whipped across his back. He pushed Boris, who staggered forward from the force and wrenched open the door.

"GO!" he screamed, and the three of them literally threw themselves forward through the opening.

Then everything was a little bit blurred, but Blood remembered someone slamming the door as he felt into a few pairs of arms, and the look of horror on Alice's face.

"Good to see you too, sweetheart," he smiled weakly before passing the hell out.

* * *

Author's Note (06/12/13): And more action! Truly, it's one of my favorite things to write. A good action scene should be like a movie. I also like the ability to play different characters that aren't normally so friendly against each other. There's a certain depth that's not allowed to be seen because of the nature of the game, but it's fun to see what they would be like if the world made them act together. I hope other people like the interactions, too.

Thanks again for reading!


	6. Don't Look Back, You Can Never Look Back

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuni no Alice series; QuinRose does. I only own the original storyline and any characters not seen in the original games.

* * *

Chapter 6 – Don't Look Back; You Can Never Look Back

"Alice. Are you there?"

"Hm?" and she blinked for a few seconds before realizing, _I'm dreaming_. "Oh, Nightmare."

The Incubus floated in front of her; even when it was just the two of them, he never stood on the ground like a normal person. It always added to his rather playful personality, but now he radiated an air of tension. Like something between fear and anger.

"What's wrong?"

"Gray and the others are coming back to the Hatter's Mansion."

Relief flooded through her. "Oh, that's great! I was so worried about them!"

And now his expression was so pained she actually felt it like a slap. "Nightmare, what's wrong? What happened to them? Is someone…?" and she couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"Dead? No, despite their best efforts. But, dear Alice… sometimes there are worse things than dying," he said, almost too softly to be heard. "You'll want to wake up soon, but I don't think I'll see you again for a while. I'll be watching from the shadows, though."

"Nigh-" but she never finished, as the sounds of footsteps and rising voices suddenly shook her awake. It took a few seconds to remember that she had fallen asleep on Blood's couch with a book over her breast, but both Julius and Peter was gone. All she knew was that the noise was getting louder and louder, and Alice jumped to her feet and dashed outside. All small line of Hatter faceless was running towards the front hall, and Alice immediately joined them.

"What's going on?"

"The Lizard has returned, but it's not good!" one man said, and Alice wished she hadn't asked.

She wanted to believe everything would be fine because the thought of anything going wrong was too much to bear. But the reality was that Nightmare had tried to warn her about something, and he wasn't one to worry for nothing.

_Oh please, please let them be okay. Please let me see them one more time._

Then she finally hit the great hall, and saw –

Pierce yelling for help, tears in his eyes

Gray and Julius talking furiously with two doctors, bent over a body

Dum clutching someone's hand, pale and shaking

And she saw that it was his brother's hand, his brother's body on the ground -

"DEE!" she screamed, pushing people to the side before falling to her knees at Dee's side.

Dee, whose left arm was missing, the too-cleanly cut stump spilling blood while a double flash of white bone winked out from the hole. Her hand fisted up his jacket, as if to hold his spirit down though it tried to disappear. There were muscles and tendons and skin and

Something covered her eyes. "Don't look, Alice," Pierce said, his voice a mouse-like whisper. "I know you don't like this. You don't have to look."

But she couldn't stop seeing it, and Pierce didn't say anything about the tears falling against his fingers.

"We'll take care of him," a male voice said, then barked out orders to all the people standing around. In what seemed like an eternity, the sounds all faded away – and someone peeled Dee's coat from her fingers – until all she could hear was her heartbeat and feel Pierce's shaking hands against her eyes.

"Alice," and Gray's voice was raw as he enveloped her in his arms, burying her face in his shoulder. "Alice, I'm so sorry."

"Gray, what happened?" she asked, so faintly that it might as well have been a breath. She could even hear the ticking of his clock, going faster than she'd have ever thought possible.

"Spade was compromised. Nothing left but afterimages. We got out of it alive, but Dee was poisoned."

Pierce burst in, "If we didn't do it, he'd have poisoned you, too! He didn't wanna hurt you!"

It took another few moments for understanding to kick in. _Dee knew he was poisoned, he told them to help…._

Alice just wrapped her arms around Gray's chest. "You saved him, right? Then you did everything you could."

A deep sigh, like a man pardoned before the firing squad. He gave her one final squeeze before letting go, taking care to wipe away her tears with a thumb. "Thank you. But I have one last place to go before we sit and talk. Where's Gowland?"

Surprisingly, Julius answered. "At Heart Castle, with both King and Queen. The Rabbit just ran over there was some new information."

Gray's eyes suddenly became more golden, almost foreign in their viciousness. Although she knew he had a darker side, Alice had never seen it before. Now, a tiny shiver went through her as he said, "Then, I will be heading over to the Castle for a nice, long talk with the Duke."

* * *

Alice insisted on visiting Dee before leaving. He had been whisked away into one of the spare bedrooms (likely because no one wanted to take the chance of entering the Bloody Twins' bedroom and accidently setting off a random explosive or dealing with sharp weaponry while doing their job). Now he was resting quietly, with Dum at his side and resting in his child form.

The doctor carefully pulled the sheet back. "Obviously, there was no hand left to save, but the Lizard did everything he could by combat medicine standards. The cut was completely clean. We had to make some adjustments to protect the internal muscle and vasculature from infection, but I'll spare you details."

"Will it heal?"

"To be honest, we don't know. Role Holders usually heal in a few time-turns, but whether or not his arm grows back is… uncertain. I'm sorry."

_Read, unlikely._ "No. Thank you for everything you did," she whispered. The arm began just below the elbow, and wrapped all the way up to the shoulder. Someone must have been changing the bandages regularly because they were still pristine white. Whatever bleeding he'd had downstairs had been taken care of and, miracle of miracles, he was sleeping quietly.

_My brave boys_.

Alice dropped a kiss onto each twin's forehead. "If they wake up, tell them we'll be back soon."

"Will do, miss. Good luck."

Gray and Julius were both waiting at the front door when she returned. "Where's Pierce?"

"Getting some rest, I believe," Julius said. "Shall we?"

The trio initially traveled in silence. Alice didn't really care for the tension that was thrumming through both men, and finally broke the ice. "This is probably a bad way to start a conversation, but I guess you didn't find the Vorpal Blade."

Both Role Holders looked at her with surprise, and she gave a mirthless laugh. "I didn't see anyone carrying a sword, and you were so wretched that I assumed the worse. Unless you're just really, really good at poker and keeping secrets."

"Poker, yes. Not this," Gray said, and a few muscles in his jaw jumped in anger.

Alice finally saw that they were moving away from the Castle, and for a moment she wondered if Ace's poor sense of direction was contagious. Then she saw the Circus come into view and knew….

"Looking for me?"

Joker's voice came from behind them, and both Julius and Gray spun around faster than her eyes could follow. Hostility radiated from both men, though Joker didn't seem to notice – or care.

"We need to get to Heart Castle," Alice said without prelude.

"Ah, you want a card game!" Joker smiled broadly. "But wouldn't you know it – I, too, need to visit the Castle. All sorts of stories are being carried on the wind. Dark spades, crystal diamonds, the usual."

Gray's eyes narrowed at the reference to Spade, and Julius said, "What game are you playing now, Joker?"

"No games, I assure you. Aren't we all on the same team? In fact, to show my sincerity, I'd be willing to overlook the card game this time if I may walk with our pretty little Alice."

Neither man replied.

"Well, I leave the decision in your hands. We can either leave now, or I play a few rounds against Alice and take up both of our precious time."

Both brunettes gritted their teeth, but practicality won out and they agreed. To her relief, Joker was much more conversational than the other two, and helped her keep up a steady stream of meaningless talk to fill the space. He spoke about a new show and training the circus performers as if an evil creature wasn't secretly stalking the land. Still, it was a nice distraction, and Alice smiled and listened because it kept her from thinking about Dee's missing arm.

The trip was otherwise uneventful, and she made a mental note of how quiet the streets were, as if the people were buttoning down for a storm (_or a war_). When they reached the front gates of the castle, the soldiers were at sharp attention, and one even bowed and offered to lead them to the war room.

"I didn't know Vivaldi had a war room," she whispered as he led them down the halls.

"You can't possibly be surprised," Julius said. "The Queen is nothing if not constantly poised for war with the Amusement Park and the Hatters."

It made perfect sense, really, but she'd never thought much of it. It took another handful of minutes to get there, buried deep in the heart of the castle; when they arrived, the soldier politely knocked, bowed properly, and announced their arrival with grave solemnity.

"I present Miss Alice, Joker, the Clockmaster, and the Lizard."

It was a large room, fitted with a large table that could have seated all fifteen Role Holders with plenty of room to spare for an Outsider or two. Countless papers covered the tabletop, likely maps and so forth. Peter was there, discussing something with both Vivaldi and Gowland as the latter pointed to the map, but everyone looked up at the new arrivals.

Before anyone had the chance to breathe, Gray moved like a shadow. One moment he was standing at Alice's side; the next, he threw Gowland against the wall with an arm under his chin, lips curled in an angry snarl as his other hand held a blade against the Duke's heart.

"Damn, he's pissed!" Black Joker said.

"Gray!" Alice yelled. She ran up and grabbed his arm, but Gray didn't budge an inch. It was like trying to move a sculpture of granite. "Gray! Stop it!"

"Explain yourself, Lizard!" Vivaldi demanded.

"He lied to us! Dee lost his arm no good goddamn reason, and I want blood and answers!"

Alice pulled away, for once terrified of the usually gentle man, and even Peter didn't dare step forward. Gowland, to his credit, didn't lose the calm expression on his face despite likely pain in his head and spine. "Tell me when I lied."

"You said the Vorpal Blade was in Spade, and we found nothing. The little bit we did find said, in no uncertain terms, that it was never there to start with. So tell me, Duke, what the hell kind of game are you playing?"

Gowland's expression jumped to genuine alarm. "What… I don't get it. He told me th -" and now his expression turned cold. "Oh, that lyin' son of a bitch!"

He pushed himself out of Gray's grip, who in turned seemed to believe the other man's indignity. "Who lied, and who do I kill now?"

"That would be us."

Everyone turned to the King, standing placidly in the doorway. To Alice, he didn't look like his usual ineffective self. All of a sudden, there was a darkness surrounding him that she didn't understand and had never seen before. Even Vivaldi was leaning away from him, though she stood a distance away at the table.

"Gowland did not lie, Lizard. He simply was not told the truth."

"_Your_ untruths, then."

"Yes."

Alice shook her head; this didn't make sense. "But I don't get it. If Gowland was at the previous Game, wouldn't he have known that the Vorpal Blade wasn't real?"

The king didn't speak. It was not so much hesitation as a simple disinclination to use words.

"Tell us!" Vivaldi demanded, her words ringing sharply through the air.

"He didn't know because we had told him that the Vorpal Blade did exist."

"How could you lie? We were under the impression that both of you had seen the end of the last game," Peter said.

Again, silence from the king. Gowland crossed his arms and said, "If you don't get to th' point, I will."

An emotionless look before he finally said, "Because Gowland was here in Heart, and both Outsider and Jabberwock fought their final battle in Spade. Hence why they were buried there."

Still didn't make sense, and he kept drawing it out.

"One last chance, Yer Highness."

Now, he took a deep, almost painful breath. "Before I became the King of Hearts, I was the Knave of Spades."

Now, chaos exploded in the room, with a dozen voices speaking over each other while nothing of meaning was said.

"You can do that?" Alice gaped. "Switch roles?"

"It's not a common occurrence, but yes. It's not like _we_ make that decision," Gray said.

"Pretty rare, actually," Joker said. "I wonder how he managed to earn that piece of hard luck."

Gowland clapped his hands. "Oye! Attention, everyone! I think we're 'bout to hear part of the story that I missed."

Everyone's eyes turned back to the King, who stood with the same stillness that Ace occasionally did when he _wasn't_ _quite right_. "The original plan had been to lure the Jabberwock to Spade; Heart had taken one too many blows, and wouldn't survive a full-out war. So we played the bait, and drew the Jabberwock into a portal made by the prior Joker and King of Hearts before they died. From there, it led to the underground corridors of Spade Castle."

"I heard George found the Blade in Spade," Gowland said. "He didn't manage to kill the damn thing, but wore it down and kept it from comin' up and eatin' the world."

"The truth is that, as the Lizard so wisely noted, George never found the Vorpal Blade," and the King looked at Alice. "He never figured out where it was. As such, he knew that he would die fighting the Jabberwock."

It was like a punch in the stomach, and Alice braced herself against the table.

"So he made us swear a vow – that we would protect Wonderland at the cost of all else."

Tears welled up in her eyes because _I know where this is going. I know what he's going to say._

"And as he whittled the Jabberwock's energy away, we hid away and watched him fight a losing battle. At the last moment, ready to fall and be devoured by that thing, we… _I_ killed him. It was by my sword that he was impaled upon, destroying his heart and sending the Jabberwock back into dormancy."

Again, chaos and words and fire unrelenting. In a way, their defiant passion over killing an Outsider (_killing me_) was somewhat comforting. Maybe a little piece of everyone here did understand how she felt when they talked about killing each other like it was nothing. But the way the king looked, that immovable quiet, made her realize something. Although he toyed with Vivaldi's feelings and was by no means a "nice" man, he never made light of killing the faceless.

_He understands, too._

Before anyone could stop her, Alice went up to the king – and hugged him. Peter yelped in anger, but something must have been holding him back because she was given the moment. She squeezed her eyes shut and felt his arms go hesitantly around her.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," she whispered. "Was he – George – was he your friend?"

A minor tightening. "Yes. He was a dear friend when we had been 'Johann' rather than 'King of Hearts'. It was the last gift we could give him, knowing that his death would not be in vain. Still, it is a weight we shall never stop carrying."

She wiped her tears against his fur-covered robes, then realized how incredibly rude she was being. However, he softly tilted her chin up and rubbed the tears away with a sleeve. "You remind us of him. He was a gentle soul, though he had been a young soldier before falling into Wonderland. He did not love war any more than you do. Neither world was kind to him, though we are grateful that he came to us."

Finally, someone cleared their throat and she pulled away. This time, she stood next to Julius and leaned against him.

"So why did you send me and the others on a wild goose chase if you knew there was no Blade to be found?" Gray asked, now back to his usual impeccable self.

"There had been a poem repeated for generations upon generations of Wonderland folk, telling of the Jabberwock's story. It states how to find the Blade, though we do not know of any Outside who succeeded."

"This poem?" and he pulled a sheet of paper from his jacket. "It's absolutely nonsensical."

"It is all we have," the King said, holding his hands out in helplessness. "It has only been seen and written on the stones that bury the Jabberwock's sleeping form."

Everyone crowded around to read it; by the time she had finished, Alice knew that she was going to die. There were too many people talking, and her head just kept spinning around all the meaningless words on the paper.

Then there was a sound like a hammer hitting wood, and a stern voice saying, "Everyone, calm down."

Alice looked at Julius, who was holding his wrench and standing above a now-missing chunk of table. Vivaldi said, in a voice of diamond anger, "Would you care to explain why you chose to destroy part of our table, Clockmaster?"

"While it's quite enjoyable to wallow in our helplessness, we don't have the time for it. Let's work with what we have, instead," he said, dissipating the wrench and turning the poem around. "So, if we take-"

The door slammed open a second time, making everyone jump and spin; Peter, Gowland, and Gray all had their weapons at the ready when three bloodstained bodies stumbled through.

"Wait! Don't shoot!" Alice shouted, running forward just as the trio started to fall. Her brain barely registered Boris-Ace-Blood through all the destruction, but two things happened; she caught Blood around the shoulders, and she heard an ominous word.

"Outsider!"

Her head snapped up, and through the door she saw a faceless woman with blood on her hands reaching out to grab her. But Julius kicked the door shut just as she reached it; something large slammed into the wood, making Alice shriek, but the sound didn't repeat itself.

Then she looked down at an injured Blood in her lap, and he said, "Good to see you too, sweetheart," before his eyes closed and he went completely limp.

"Guards!" the King yelled, and soldiers flowed into the room like a red sea. But rather than bearing weapons, many came in with medical kits and stock. Vivaldi stepped up to Alice's side, her expression queen-calm though her fingers were shaking.

"Foolish man, getting himself hurt like this," she whispered, looking down at him though Alice knew she ached to help. "Foolish, foolish man."

Three medics came forward to take the unconscious man from her hands, and she stepped back to give them space to work. Now that she had a moment to breathe, with everyone else in the room helping the trio, she took stock of the wounds.

Blood's legs each had a hole running through, to say nothing of the blood running down his right side. Ace's shirt and jacket were a mess, like someone had taken a whip to his back and a sword to his chest. And Boris… Boris's stomach had a gaping hole, giving everyone a very intimate look at his intestines before someone quickly covered it with a literal handful of gauze. His shoulder was almost beyond saving, another hole winking out and soaking his arm. He was blissfully unconscious.

Surprisingly, Ace was awake and chatting amiably with the soldiers applying bandages. "Don't look so upset," he said, waving at Alice with a free hand. She sat down next to him, almost numb with shock, and he put the arm around her shoulders. "We Role Holders heal pretty well. This thing here," and he gestured at his side, which bore a somewhat-open wound, "should be gone in a few time-turns, and I'll be good as gold."

Her mind flashed back to the Hatter mansion. "What about lost limbs?"

A laugh. "Don't be silly. Arms and legs don't grow back."

She knew it, of course, but that didn't make the reality any easier to swallow. "Yeah, I figured as much."

"Until then, we'll just get patched up. Besides, we got some stuff to talk about."

"Like the screaming faceless covered in what was probably your blood?"

"You bet! Damn, you're smart, Alice."

"Who, or what, was that?" Gowland asked from his place at Boris's side.

"The Jabberwock."

Hot and cold water ran down Alice's body, as if her skin couldn't decide what to feel. It was one thing to hear about a raging, monstrous creature trying to eat her heart; it was quite another to actually look upon the thing.

_It saw me. It was covered in blood – their blood – and it wanted to kill me._

"Then, we shall assemble with the remaining Role Holders here," the King said.

"Might not have enough time for that, Your Highness," Blood said weakly. A wash of relief as Alice turned and saw him sitting up as the soldiers wrapped his legs and chest (stripped of the jacket and shirt). "It knows Alice is here. More specifically, it knows that she's here in the Castle. We should think about falling onto our contingency plans sooner rather than later."

"So how long do we have until the Jabberwock gets here?"

"Seconds, hours, time-turns," Blood said, wincing as someone probed one of the wounds. "I truly have no idea."

"Basically," Black Joker said, "we are screwed worse than a two-bit hoo-"

"That's enough! Such imagery is unnecessary," Vivaldi said, cutting off the word and giving Joker a dark look. "We have no choice but to _make_ time to finish our aid, summon the scouting team, and divest ourselves of extra ears. Then Alice shall explain what she found, and we shall explain our plan."

It actually didn't take very long for Boris to regain consciousness and the soldiers to complete their duties. Obviously, everyone present had more than a little experience with god-awful wounds; the only difference being who inflicted them. Then a pair of soldiers went out to the Tower to inform Nightmare (and possibly Elliot, if he happened to be around) of the events.

The day switched into twilight, though, and the timing made the tiny hairs on Alice's neck stand up straight.

_Because monsters always eat children when it's dark outside._

Finally, Alice and the ten sat themselves down around the table; King Johann took the lead. "We now know that the Jabberwock is quite obviously alive and well. Alice, tell us what you and your team have discovered."

She nodded, and took a deep breath. "So, uhm, it kind of boils down to the fact that the Jabberwock breaks rules. All of them. Pretty much the only rule it's bound to is that it can only be killed by the Vorpal Blade. And the Blade can only be held by the Outsider."

"Which is exactly what we knew before we left. Glad our hard work has come to fruition," Boris groaned, still obviously in pain of heroically holding it in.

Julius cut in, his voice covered in ice. "We have also discovered that with each Role Holder it devours, it gains those talents. Controlling the prison from Joker, crossing worlds from the Incubus, so forth and so on."

"We figured that out, too, quite painfully," Blood said.

"The Dodo's not lookin' so hot these days," Ace said, then winced when he stretched his arm too much. Out of the three, he seemed to be the one in best shape, but that didn't necessarily mean he was completely healed. "Probably got Crysta too."

"Do we have any idea how it travels?" Gowland asked.

"No, nothing has been made clear. We know it steals abilities, so perhaps if it got the Cheshire Cat or someone who can move through the countries very quickly…," and Alice trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"There is something we did find of relevance," Julius said. "If the Outsider dies, then the Jabberwock will immediately become – for lack of a better word – its egg form. The best I can understand, that is its stalemate; cannot be killed, but cannot stay alive."

"That is, of course, not an option," Peter said, his eyes nearly glowing with fire as he stared at the Clockmaker.

To his credit, the latter didn't blink as he replied. "Be that as it may, it's another piece of knowledge."

Peter and Alice spoke of a few more anecdotes, stories that told of different battles between the Jabberwock and Wonderland and riddles of the Vorpal Blade, but nothing concrete to offer salvation. The group tore apart the poem, but with all the made-up words it was impossible to understand details. No one was happy with the lack of information, but they didn't appear surprised either.

"Then it is best if we begin outlining the tactics," Vivaldi said, gesturing for everyone to lean in. Putting aside the broken chunk of table, the group hovered around a newly-minted map of both Heart and Clover, including the areas of overlap and the Circus. Alice was pretty certain you couldn't actually draw a four-dimensional object on two dimensional paper, but thinking too much about it was making her head hurt and she just let things be.

"Let me be brief," Vivaldi said, and when Ace snorted she gave him a look to freeze blood. "The majority of the territories overlie each other, with only the Clock Tower and the Tower of Clover truly overlapping in time and space."

Red and green color fused against each other on the map.

"Normally, the April season prevents people from moving between the territories without a distinct invitation from Joker."

Blue from one of the edges.

"In creating the alliance, Joker has offered all Role Holders freedom to move between the territories during this dangerous time," and the blue suddenly turned into roads connecting the five main lands. "It is why the Hare has been moving so freely between the lands."

Joker smiled benevolently. "Whatever can be done to aid Alice, we will not impede that necessity."

"Of course," Vivaldi said, though there was an underlying chill in her voice. "It must be understood that the goal of all Role Holders is not killing the Jabberwock. Instead, if we cannot travel with Alice, we must try to restrain or temporarily incapacitate the creature to buy time for her to continue her search."

"As such, we are all disposable," the King said. "It cannot be emphasized enough that our lives are to be given if Alice requires."

_I hate this. I hate this. I hate that they talk about dying like it's something we'll just get over,_ she thought to herself though none of the people in the room looked upset. Instead, they looked rather matter-of-fact about the whole thing. _I don't want them to die._

"Problem is, we don't know where it's gonna show up next," Gowland said. "So we're kinda wingin' it."

"The most likely thing it will do is come through the Forest of Doors. There are already guardsmen standing there, ready to alert us to any sign of danger."

"Any other portals of entry?" Julius asked.

"All of Wonderland is vulnerable, but nothin' specific," Gowland said.

Gray shook his head. "While I hate to be redundant, this isn't good. We truly have no idea where and when the Jabberwock will appear. Has anyone heard from the Hare recently? Is it possible he's been taken?"

Alice's heart sped up; she hadn't been keeping track of him, as his job involved so much running around. If Elliot had been compromised…

"Perhaps, but we can't tell at this time. We'll have to wait until we find him again," Blood said grimly.

"I can smell it when it's near," Boris said. "I'd bet Pierce could, too. If it's of any reassurance, it's not here right now."

That was nice to know, even if it didn't completely assuage her fears.

Until Julius frowned and said, "Wait a moment. I just had a very bad thought," and now he looked unnerved. "You said it had already stolen the Dodo's form, right?"

"Correct," Blood nodded.

"And the Jabberwock steals knowledge held by the previous form."

"Get to the point," Black Joker said impatiently.

"Then it will know that the Museum has a painting that lets people travel to their clock's desire. And it knows that Alice is here," he said, now looking at her with something very close to fear in his eyes. "We have to get you out of here right now."

Except that before she – anyone – could move, a beautiful silver-haired woman in flowing white and gold robes burst upwards from the map on the table. It was as if she'd ridden an invisible dumbwaiter into view, and her eyes sparkled with delight as she looked around the room.

The woman joyfully exclaimed, "No more hide-and-seek. We found you!"

* * *

Author's Note (06/26/13): I realize that a few people may not know what I'm doing with Joker's characterization, so I'd like to explain. It's been noted that Black Joker exists in the Prison world (what I think of as "below ground", for lack of a better term) while White Joker exists in the Circus (or, "above ground" with the rest of Wonderland). They aren't usually in the same time/space as each other; as such, they communicate through the joker masks on their hips. So, whenever I mention that 'Black Joker' spoke, it's because he _is_ speaking – through the mask at White Joker's hip.

It's also explained that they aren't twins like the Tweedles. I tend to think of them like two parts of a single soul put into separate bodies. White Joker is the kind half that wants to be with Alice (or keep her with them, whichever you prefer). Black Joker pushes her away and treats her like crap to keep her away from the Jokers.

I've also taken incredible liberties with the King of Hearts, as we are given no background on him except that he likes women and toys with Vivaldi.

Anyway, thanks for reading!


	7. Love Me When I'm Gone

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuni no Alice series; QuinRose does. I only own the original storyline and any characters not seen in the original games.

* * *

Chapter 7 – Love Me When I'm Gone

The world was chaos as too many things happened at once. Yelling, gunshot, chairs cracking against the floor as Alice jumped up and ran to one of the side doors. The main door slammed open, and a handful of soldiers rushed in to help. Flashes of shadow spun outward, twirling around the white-robed woman with incredible ferocity. The tendrils smashed into everyone but Alice, throwing the bodies against the wall hard enough to shake the war room to its core. Any of the soldiers in the room were killed immediately, their clocks raining down as the Role Holders fell unconscious to the ground.

Only Alice remained standing, backed up against a wall as the woman turned to her.

"So you are the newest Outsider. They are always so young. Like grains of sand in an infinite hourglass."

"Who…," and Alice stopped herself because se couldn't bear to say the words aloud._ This woman, who can obliterate a room full of Role Holders, is the one I have to fight – and kill._

"This form is that of the Queen of Diamonds," the Jabberwock said. "We were quite pleased to have such a powerful clock, but it is nothing compared to the power of a human heart." Her expression turned from peaceful to cold. "We have been waiting for too long. It is ours now."

She made a grand gesture, royalty and pride evident in the motion, and Alice watched as an icicle nearly a foot in thickness rose up from then ground – and thrust itself towards her chest. She closed her eyes in reflexive terror and knew with unwavering truth _I'm going to die_.

Except that the cold never hit, and someone made a sound like he was choking on water, and something warm splashed against her dress and arms. She opened her eyes.

Gowland's jade green gaze met hers with visible relief. "You okay, Alice?" he coughed, blood dripping from his mouth, and she could see the giant icicle protruding from his chest _because he used his body to block the hit_.

"NO!"

He leaned in and whispered, "Run, sweet pea."

A lash of black shadows ripped the clock right out of him before he could make another sound, and Alice screamed high and loud as his body disappeared in a whisper of ashes. She kept screaming as the Jabberwock opened her delicate lips unreasonably wide, exposing shark-like teeth, and bit down on the clock as if it were a baked treat. The clock shattered and snapped, but it was the sight of the now-bleeding metal staining the woman's teeth that made Alice's voice disappear and her legs turn to water.

"Ahhh," the woman sighed with carnal pleasure. "The Duke. We did not have the joy of devouring his clock during our previous incarnation. But now… now Queen of Diamonds will be ever pleased to have his clock joined with hers in our belly."

"It shall be your last one."

A flash of curls from behind the Diamond Queen, and a gunshot rang through the room like a church bell. The woman jerked once, her forehead blooming a single bullet hole, and fell forward on her knees.

Vivaldi stood behind, her revolver out and smoking, and fired a second shot execution-style. The rest of the Role Holders were gaining their bearings, blood on their clothes and dripping down their faces. As they stood, afterimages began to spin through the room like a saw, and they brought up their weapons to fight.

"Damn, that thing's fast," Gray said, barely flicking his wrist as he cut a pointed afterimage in half.

The Jabberwock, still wearing the Diamond Queen's form, began to struggle to its feet, but Vivaldi shot it again. "No doubt it will get faster with the Duke's strength."

"Then we must bring you to safety," Peter said, putting an arm around Alice's shoulders as he shot another shadow apart.

"I agree. As such, I order everyone here to leave the castle. We shall remain here to dispatch the Jabberwock."

Alice realized what it meant just as Blood did; he actually opened his mouth to yell, but Vivaldi gave him a look to turn blood to ice. "You dare to disagree with the Queen's orders?" she hissed. "Or are you not the man you should be, Hatter?"

Vivaldi fired again into the Jabberwock; she seemed to be running on some invisible timer that kept telling her when to shoot. "What are you waiting for?" she demanded of the rest. "Follow the plan. Take Alice and disappear!"

But suddenly _she_ disappeared; literally disappeared, as if someone blinked her out of existence. The Jabberwock was still on the ground, trying to recover, but the King of Hearts calmly walked up to it and, summoning his sword, stabbed the creature through its head deep into the stone floor. Alice couldn't stop a tiny shriek from escaping her lips at the viciousness.

Or the fact that he was young again, with eyes open and sharp as he stared at Alice. "We will not have our queen sacrifice herself. It may be called for during the war, but…," and he took a deep breath. "There can be no true recompense for what we have done to our friend, but this is ours to do for him."

He looked around the room, making sure every Role Holder was aware of what he was doing as they cut and shot afterimages. Then he rested his hand on the sword's pommel and said, "We, King Johann of Heart, hereby decree that all Role Holders shall be banished from the castle from this time until the threat of the Jabberwock has been properly resolved. Good luck, Alice, and may all of Wonderland be under your care."

With those words, Alice felt an invisible something hooking onto her stomach. Before she could even think of what was going to happen, the same hook suddenly pulled her like a fish torn from the water. She let out a soundless screams as she flew through the not-air, but the feeling stopped almost as soon as it started.

When she looked around, utterly unsteady on her feet and holding a nearby table (_table?_), she realized she was back at the Hatter Mansion. More specifically, she was standing in the middle of the secret rose garden.

All alone.

Her heart started racing (_like it ever stopped_) as she dashed towards the house, hoping that the twins and Pierce were still there. When she reached the back door, Alice felt the ground beneath her feet start to shake and shudder. It was so strong that she was actually thrown to her knees, bruising them against the concrete, and wondered _is the world ending?_

One of the faceless mafia men leaned out the window above her and shouted, "Look! The castle is falling!"

Alice braced herself against the doorway and saw, with cold sorrow, the beautiful Castle of Hearts collapsing upon itself. All of the towers, decorations, everything began to fall apart and tumble to the ground like a child's tower of rocks. It seemed to take forever for the world to stop shaking, and the aftershocks hummed through the ground even after the dust had settled.

The Jabberwock was somewhere in the rubble… but so was King Johann.

"Thank you," she whispered into the twilight before turning and heading into the mansion.

She passed by a handful of Hatter minions; her response to any and all questions had been, "The Jabberwock's in Heart." They responded with amazing aplomb, sending out orders and directions among their shared ranks as Alice made her way up the stairs.

When she burst into the guest bedroom, Dee and Dum were already awake – and had their guns pointed at the door. Alice stopped in mid-breath, but they dropped their weapons at the sight of her.

"Big Sis, you're okay!" Dum cried, sweeping her up into his now-grown up arms. "You're okay!"

He actually spun her around in a circle as if she were the child, absolutely delighted to be holding her again.

"Dum, put me down! I'm happy to see you, but-AH!" and her words were cut off as Dee tackled both of them, sending all three falling onto the bed.

"Big Sis is here," he said, almost purring with happiness. "Everything's gonna be fine."

She gave in and let herself enjoy their combined warmth, wrapping an arm around each boy-man as she said, "Yeah, I'm here. I'm glad you're okay, too."

But she turned her head to Dee and saw the left arm of his jacket tastefully pinned in place, and reality kicked in.

"Boys, the Jabberwock is in Heart."

The way their eyes changed from soft sweetness to blade-blue and blood-red made her chest hurt. Even after the loss and pain, they were still ready to fight.

"Where?"

"The King trapped it in the Castle of Hearts."

"He bought some time," Dee said, and Dum finished, "But it's gonna to go wherever it thinks Alice's hidin'." "So we gotta make sure she keeps hidin'."

They jumped up and took her hands in each of theirs, pulling her out of the room fast enough to keep her at a jog without literally dragging her behind them. "Wait, wait! Where are we going?"

"Gonna keep running," Dum said. "We've got you now, and we gotta keep moving so the Jabberwock doesn't find you."

An idea hit her. "Then let's go get Pierce!"

"He's here?" Dee asked.

"Getting some sleep. Come on!"

Now she was the one leading them through the house, calling out for the Dormouse as faceless Hatters flowed by. It didn't take too long before one door opened and a very sleepy Pierce stepped into the hallway.

"Alice?" he mumbled. "What's goin' on?"

"The Jabberwock's in Heart, and we gotta get Alice somewhere safe!" Dum explained.

Surprisingly enough, the sleep vanished from his eyes and was replaced with sharp emerald focus. "I know the best places," he said.

Now she was flanked from three points – Pierce leading, the twins to each side – as they dashed out of the mansion. "Where are we going?" she asked, now getting a little breathless.

"Gotta get you safe," Pierce said, not even winded. "Little cracks and crevices."

By the time they left the boundaries of the Hatter mansion behind, Alice was near completely winded. She never thought much about walking between the different lands, but today the distance felt particularly long. The good thing was that the Castle of Heart looked years away; even the Jabberwock couldn't move over that distance too quickly.

Fortunately, Dum realized that she was starting to slow down. "You okay, Big Sis?"

"I can't run as long as you guys," she said, puffing out the words as the others slowed to a jog.

"Oh, I can fix that!"

And before she could put up any kind of fight, Dum literally picked her up and swung her over his shoulders. It was the least graceless pose she'd ever been in – and she'd been picked up by countless Role Holders being cute or annoying – but he held her in place with just one hand as her hip settled in place. When he started up on a run, Alice felt only a mild amount of bouncing.

"Aw, I shoulda thought'a that," Dee said mournfully, though he took his brother's gun with notable pleasure.

"Bet'cha Chicken Rabbit's gonna be jealous when I tell him how nice Big Sis's body felt on mine," he said, sounding just a _little_ too knowing, and Alice felt her face burn with embarrassment.

_When this is done, I am going to give all three of them a talking to,_ she silently promised herself.

Then, as they were about five minutes away from the Forest, the time changed to midnight. At that same moment, Pierce shouted, "Wait!"

"What?" Dum asked, and now there wasn't a hint of playfulness in his voice as he set her on her feet.

"This is bad. I smell something bad," he said, and that's when she saw it.

It was Gowland, but not Gowland, walking out of the Forest. There wasn't much light from nearby – no one put streetlights in the Forest – but she could tell it was him. It wore his form like a suit that didn't fit quite right, and the motions weren't nearly as smooth as they had been when the Jabberwock wore the Diamond Queen's skin, but it radiated power in a way that no Role Holder had ever done.

And that look in its eyes was nothing close to the affectionate, happy-go-lucky man that ran the Amusement Park. Her heart started to pound as his eyes ran up and down her body before focusing on her chest – her heart.

"Good ta see ya again, sweet pea. Miss me?"

To their credit, the three Role Holders stood in front of her with their weapons at the ready. They didn't brag or taunt or show any sign of emotion; they simply readied themselves for a fight they couldn't possibly win.

"Alice, take this," Pierce said, slipping a hand into his pocket and pulling out a small jar of fluid without taking his eyes from the Jabberwock. "First sip will make you shrink; second sip will make you grow."

She took it and put it next to the vial in her apron pocket.

"I told'dja ta run before," Gowland said as deeper shadows gathered around his legs. "Maybe ya just wanted ta get caught."

Dum made a rather un-subtle 'run' motion with his hand behind his back, but none of the boys otherwise moved.

"Or are ya willin' ta make a deal? How 'bout I eat yer heart, and I won't kill these little ones. Sound good?"

He didn't even wait for an answer before springing forward, the violin rifle in his hand and afterimages cutting rifts into the ground. Both Dum and Pierce blocked the bullets and cut through shadows, but Dee grabbed Alice around the waist and dodged behind the nearest tree.

"Stay behind the trees, and run for the Forest 'til you find the doors," Dee said, using his gun-hand to point towards the darkened way. "We'll stay here an' distract the Jabberwock."

She grabbed the back of his jacket. "Dee, you can't go! You've already been hurt!"

He made a motion as if to peel her fingers away, but there was no left hand to do it. Instead, he gave her a kiss – a real kiss that was full of warmth and affection – before saying, "We told'ja before that we're willing to die for you, and we're gonna do that."

Her fingers had loosened in surprise and, before she could say a word, he hurled himself into the air and fired at Gowland.

_Don't waste this. Don't waste their lives – any of them!_

So she didn't look back when someone made a horrible coughing sound, or when someone else let out a scream of pain. She ran for all she was worth.

But something tangled around her ankle before she could take more than a handful of steps, and Alice fell face-first into the dirt, scraping herself on the rocks and branches.

"Here I was, tryin' ta give ya a sporting chance, sweet pea," Gowland said, his boots crunching leaves. As she scrambled around trying to escape, she saw blackness (_afterimages_) wrapping themselves around her ankles and keeping her from standing.

Now Gowland bent down right at her head, smiling that old friendly smile though his eyes were hidden in shadow. "It's kinda fun chasin' you 'round. Yer not like the other Outsiders, sweet pea. But ya know… the prize is much sweeter when flavored with the blood of fallen prey," and his voice changed with that last sentence to one of monsters and horror.

Alice swallowed but found her own voice. "Don't call me sweet pea," and threw a handful of dusty soil into the Jabberwock's eyes.

It flinched back with a snarl, but hadn't been expecting that. Enough dirt had gotten caught in its eyes that the grip on her ankles loosened, and she scrambled back just as a bullet passed through Gowland's head. He fell to the side without a sound as a handful more bullets went through his body.

Then someone picked her up princess-style, and began jogging into the Forest as footsteps followed behind.

"You got her?"

"Sure do."

Her heart sped up in joy. "Elliot?" she whispered, and now she could see his ears and hair in the moonlight, tell it was him by the feel of his jacket against her skin.

"Sure is," he said. "Damn lucky I happened to see you guys heading into the forest. What the hell's up with Gowland?"

"Jabberwock, not Gowland," Dum explained, and she craned her neck to see that all three boys were there. All were injured, and their blood glowed black in the darkness, but they were alive and ticking.

"Fuck! So where are we going with you?"

"Didn't get that far in plans," she admitted.

"Then I'll take you t- AAAH!"

And his words were cut off in a shout, and Alice felt blood on her face (_oh god not again!_) as Elliot pitched forward in pain. Alice tumbled out of his arms and hit the ground as three more shouts went up into the air.

_Gotta hide, gotta hide,_ she thought, barely able to roll over and hide in the nearby brambles.

"I keep missing the vital organs," the Jabberwock said, with no attempt to use Gowland's voice though it still wore his body and blood. "This is becoming quite tiresome."

Elliot groaned and rolled over, bringing up his pistol and firing it at the advancing Jabberwock. But whether it was a trick of the shadows or the Jabberwock itself, none of the bullets made their mark. Even adding Dee and Dum's guns didn't improve their chances.

"This is the only game that the Role Holders have fought me this hard," it said as it came closer. "And forced me to use the afterimages so frequently. I wonder the reason behind it."

As it passed by Pierce, he attempted to slice open the Jabberwock's ankles. Without a glance downward, it kicked him so hard he went flying and Alice heard something crack in his chest when the Dormouse hit a tree. Before the twins could find their feet, a pair of afterimages speared down and impaled them into the ground. Alice covered her mouth to prevent a scream from escaping, the sound muffled by their ragged cries.

But Elliot was standing up, holding out his pistol though his breathing was uneven and was barely keeping his balance. "You can't have her," he growled, firing with each word.

Gowland's body jerked and twitched with each bullet, but he kept moving forward as if the wounds didn't matter. Just as he summoned a handful of afterimages, Elliot dashed forward and threw a high kick at the Jabberwock's head. The move had obviously not been expected because Gowland didn't even put up a defense and actually stumbled backwards.

"Hell yeah," Elliot growled as he fired off his pistol so quickly that Alice could only hear a hum of bullets rather than separate shots.

"Foolish creature," the Jabberwock growled. "I will devour your clock."

"Screw that!" and he actually dodged quickly enough to avoid a slash from nearby afterimages. How in the world he managed to see then, Alice didn't know, but she had regained enough of her breath to remember _I know I should run. I know I should run._

_But I don't want to leave any of them to die. I can't do that._

That hesitation would be her downfall. She looked back once, hoping that her friends were still alive, and didn't see the trap at her feet until she stepped in it. Afterimages suddenly cocooned her and lifted her off the ground so quickly that she couldn't stop a shriek from escaping.

"Alice!" three different voices shouted.

But then Elliot's voice cut off, and she heard the sound of a body being slammed into the dirt with enough force to break rocks and bones. She managed to twist around and see the Jabberwock – now wearing the form of a faceless – pinning Elliot down with a hand around his neck. By the way he was flailing, it was obvious that the Hare couldn't breathe.

"Stop! Leave him alone!"

"I grow bored of these ants," and it brought its arm back to drive through Elliot's chest.

A sword winged out of nowhere and cut off the Jabberwock's head and hand just as it moved for the kill. Elliot, taking the opening, rolled backwards and shot the afterimages holding Dee and Dum down.

"Nice timing," Elliot barely managed to cough. "You've been standing there for five damn minutes!"

"Aw, I just didn't want to steal the spotlight," Ace smiled, flicking the blade through his fingers before stabbing the Jabberwock's chest.

"Ass."

Someone shot apart the afterimages holding her up, and Alice fell into the waiting arms of the twins. Both of them looked like hell, to say nothing of the incredible six-inch hole through their chests, but they gently caught her and set her down.

"How's the mouse?" Ace asked, pulling out his sword and stabbing the Jabberwock again.

"He'll live," Elliot whispered, then gracelessly tossed the boy over his shoulder. Alice actually heard something give a crack, and winced as Pierce let out a groan. "Oops."

_Oh good lord,_ Alice thought to herself. "Come on, guys. We're almost there."

The twins supported each other and Elliot was still carrying Pierce, so Ace took it upon himself to stay at her side. "Here I thought I was heading towards the Clock Tower."

"Not quite, but I'm grateful for your help."

"Above all else, I'm a Knight here to protect the lady."

They made it into the Forest without any further ado, but then there was the second problem.

"Which door do we take?" Alice asked. "I've never used one before."

"Doesn't matter. We just need a destination," Dee said.

"So where _are_ we going?"

"The Circus."

"Are you serious? Why there?"

Ace opened his mouth to answer, but the sound of cracking bark and crashing logs stopped his answer. As they looked around, afterimages were whipping through the forest and bringing down ageless trees as they stood in place.

All the Role Holders realized what was happened at the exact same time. Ace pushed Alice to the side a handful of thigh-thick afterimages cut past their group, driving into the forest's doors and slicing away the trees.

"Come on!" Dum yelled, as he grabbed Alice's hand. There were countless doors already around them, but the Jabberwock's reach was too close for comfort, and if she stopped to open one that was in reach, it would be on them in a heartbeat. They had to get farther away.

But none of her escorts had escaped injury (and Alice was realizing that she'd earned a few bruises herself), and the blood loss and pain was taking its toll. To her pained shock, none of them could keep up with her sprint.

_Damn it all, I'm NOT leaving them! I'm tired of being told that they're disposable!_

She knew the risk, knew that if she wasn't quick enough that she'd put the rest of Wonderland at risk, but Alice quickly made a ninety-degree turn and literally ran into a tree and thought of the first place she could.

_Joker's Circus._

And she flung open the door and heard laughter and smelled popcorn and yelled, "Hurry!"

Ace was the fastest, and he nearly threw Dee and Dum through the door as Elliot handed off Pierce. Just as they were ready to jump in, an afterimage cut through the door and the connection was lost. It was just a regular door on a regular tree.

"NO!"

The Jabberwock came walking through all the destruction, and trees continues to fall all around them. "You have no escape, Outsider. You have run far enough. I will play this game no longer."

Both warriors stood in front of her, their stances combat-ready, but Alice could see blood dripping down and staining their jackets.

"Guess we both do this, then, Knight?"

"Nope."

"What?!"

Ace literally spun in place, removed his jacket in a single motion, wrapped it around Alice, and _threw_ her at Elliot. The Hare caught her, no problem, but the sheer surprise of the move made both her and Elliot gasp in surprise.

"Ace, wha-"

"Get her out of here," he said. "Get out while the getting's good."

"But wh-"

"No worries, Alice. You'll be fine," and he looked at Elliot, eyes a little more red than usual in the speckled moonlight. "Better make sure she's safe."

Something she didn't understand passed between the two, and Elliot suddenly threw her over his shoulder.

"NO!" she screamed, unable to keep from crying and shrieking. "Stop! Don't let him die! STOP!"

"This is his choice, Alice," he said, voice rough. "He's giving us a fighting chance to get somewhere safe."

"I can't leave him behind!" she screamed again, watching Ace and the Jabberwock grow smaller and smaller as they ran deeper to find an unbroken door. "No! Please!"

But all he did was hold her tighter as he picked up speed, and Alice buried her head and tears in his scarf.

* * *

"You stay behind while your companions run. How odd of one who seems so… distant from other humans."

"It's not weird," Ace said, lightly swinging the sword in his hand. "But I don't really wanna talk about it."

The Jabberwock smiled, showing razor sharp teeth. "I will understand soon enough."

And the creature shifted into something that must have been its usual form, though he got the sense that it wasn't as big as it should be. Not that it wasn't gigantic like this.

_Huh. Guess it's not had enough life energy yet._

Despite what stood before him, Ace couldn't stop smiling. His clock felt strange, almost light, and mind was absolutely crystal clear. He didn't feel lost anymore.

"**Come, Knave of Hearts. Wage your war."**

"Then let's dance."

It was the most brilliant fight he'd ever engaged; greater than any silly fight he'd had with soldiers or even his most trying battle against the Lizard. Now, he knew no restraint. There was no thought to holding back or testing the waters. He could give his everything to this moment. Every move was so textbook perfect that it may as well have been a performance all choreographed to utter flawlessness for the awe of anyone blessed enough to watch. It didn't matter that the Jabberwock kept cutting him down, knocking him around, making him bleed and break. He was picture perfect even as he lost.

He couldn't feel anything when it picked him up off the ground by the arms, holding him out like a penitent before an angry god. He just kept smiling through bloodied lips, staring at the empty sky through blackened eyes.

_Alice… I found what I've been looking for._

And his chest exploded, and a single gasp of pain escaped his lips before the world turned white… then forever black.

* * *

Author's Note (07/10/13): I've actually had the ending of this chapter written almost since the beginning of the story. I had always planned that not all of Alice's beloved friends would survive the meeting with the Jabberwock, partially because (I believe) the Jabberwock is a Role Holder; its role is simply one that destroys the other Role Holders.

Ace has always been a difficult character for me to like, but I sympathize with him a great deal. I wish I could have gotten deeper into his thoughts, but now he has what he wanted - freedom.

Thanks, again, for reading.


	8. Seeing the Calm of Heaven Break

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuni no Alice series; QuinRose does. I only own the original storyline and any characters not seen in the original games.

Musical Accompaniment: My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Fall Out Boy), to be played as the Jabberwock walks into the Circus until the end of the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 8 – Seeing the Calm of Heaven Break

Words. Voices. Muted music.

And all she felt was hollow and vacant.

"Alice."

"Elliot, what happened?"

"Alice!"

"Alice! Good lord, what's wrong with her?"

"She's in shock. The Knight's dead."

"What?"

"How?"

"The Jabberwock chased us into the Forest. Ace held it off long enough for us to escape."

"She's crying. Why is she crying?"

"Thank god she's not screaming."

"So now it has the Knight's form."

"Yeah."

"Great. Wonderful."

"Two psychotics rolled into one."

"Better get ready for it."

"I'll take her someone quiet."

Friends. Arms and hands. Comfort.

Someone kissed her forehead as he laid her down, and she let herself disappear into a sleep that not even Nightmare could penetrate.

* * *

The first person she saw when waking up wasn't Peter or Blood; it was Vivaldi, though Alice admitted to herself that she shouldn't have been surprised. It was a bit of an alarm to see that Vivaldi's outfit was not the normal queenly gown, but her slightly less encumbering suit and jacket covered in grit and grime.

The brunette actually let out a sigh of relief, and the bed dipped under the queen's weight. "Alice. Thank goodness you've awoken."

"Hi," she whispered in return. "Vivaldi, I'm so sorry. Ace is-"

"Oh, darling, don't," and she gathered the younger woman in her arms as tears spilled out of blue eyes. "We do not blame you for our Knight's passing. He performed admirably in this one final duty – he brought you safely to our arms."

But she let Alice cry out her pain, sobbing out Gowland and the King's name interspersed with Ace's. It was painfully obvious that the queen thought all these tears were an overreaction to something as commonplace as death, but she didn't chastise or stop the blonde girl from purging her sorrow.

Finally, with a cold washcloth to freeze the last of the tears from her eyes, Alice took a deep breath. "So now what happens?"

"Ah, yes, we had not gotten the chance to outline the last of our plans, and we must rectify that mistake post-haste."

"I see. But why are we all _here_?"

"It has been decided that the Circus is the penultimate battlefield, due to its ability to dip out of Wonderland's spacial constraints. In addition, Joker also has control over the Prison world. If all else fails, we may be able to trap it within those confines while you search for the Vorpal Blade."

"And I still haven't figured out where it's hidden. This is horrible!"

"Your frustration is mirrored in us all. We have all been musing on the same graveyard riddle that you have. However, the Cheshire Cat may have an idea."

"Really?!"

"As he is one of the riddle makers in the Wonderland, he has been pouring over it as thoroughly as possible. He would like to speak with you as soon as you are well."

"Great! I'll go find him now!"

Vivaldi didn't let her go. "One last thing, Alice. It's quite important that you listen."

Her sudden gravity made Alice's heart start to speed up. "What's wrong? Is anyone else dead?"

"No, but we must speak candidly," she said, and for a moment Alice thought she could see a glimpse of a woman – not a queen, not a Role Holder – behind those eyes. "The group had spoken momentarily about this subject, but we will breech it again. If you return to your world, the Jabberwock may destroy Wonderland – but it will eventually run out of humans to devour and go back to sleep again."

Alice read between the lines and shook her head. "No, Vivaldi. I'm not leaving."

"Do you have your vial with you? The one filled with emotions?"

"Yes, ever since this all began. I didn't want the Jabberwock to get a hold of it and travel back to my _former_ home."

"Good. Always keep it with you. Even if you will not promise us that you will go home if the darkest hour were to pass, promise us that you will always keep it on hand."

The solemnity – and perhaps an unspoken touch of fear in her voice – made Alice agree. "All right. I'll carry it around, but I'm not leaving you guys. This is my home as much as yours, and I won't let it fall because I'm not smart enough to figure out a stupid poem."

The pride that radiated from Vivaldi was like an electric jolt; it was an expression so close to Lorina's that Alice actually felt the world give a little tilt and a shake. But before the queen could say anything, Alice shook herself back into place.

"Time to get to work."

* * *

It turned out that the bulk of the Role Holders who had been banished from the Castle of Heart ended up either here at the Circus or by the Tower. Alice had been the lone variation sent to the Hatter mansion; she suspected it was because she actually cared about the Mafia boys left behind. And the only person missing (who wasn't also dead) was Nightmare, still at the Tower.

"He was the one who sent the March Hare after you," Boris explained from where he resting in the backstage area just outside her room. He was still recuperating from the trauma dealt barely a time period ago, though none of Role Holders looked to be in better shape. Despite their comparatively impressive wounds, all worked with incredible diligence. Vivaldi and Gray were directing some of the faceless around while Elliot was getting patched up by Peter. Pierce, Dee, and Dum were sleeping barely five feet away on a bunch of old practice mats, and Julius and Blood were directly assisting Joker with placement of equipment and (no surprise) artillery.

"He did?"

"Yeah. Lucky thing, considering the story. You're gonna give us all clock attacks before the day is done."

"Not like I'm trying to bait a million-year-old creature from hell," she said tartly, and sighed at Boris's cheeky grin. "Vivaldi said you wanted to talk with me."

"Yeah, 'bout the Jabberwock poem," and he pulled Gray's folded copy from his pocket. "So here's what I think. The first four verses are telling the story about someone, probably the first Outsider, preparing to fight. Ignore all the crap and gibberish; they don't mean anything that we care about since all your predecessors kicked the bucket fighting the good fight."

"But hidden in the gibberish is the answer to where the Vorpal Blade is located."

"Yeah, just not up there. So this paragraph, about being left for dead, is probably referring to the fact that the previous Outsiders died fighting it. The Jabberwock went back into hibernation or whatever when it didn't get a heart. Just cements what the Rabbit and Clockmaster found out – without an Outsider, the Jabberwock can't survive."

That made sense, and Alice said as much. "And this last one?"

"Yeeeah, that's the one giving me problems. So a lot of these made-up words are adjectives, but a few are nouns. Jabberwock, Bandersnatch, you get the idea. This word here…," and he pointed to the word 'gommeols', "I can't tell what it's supposed to be. And its right in the middle of a phrase that's key to all this."

He didn't have to spell out why it was important; a riddle almost always had to do with double meanings, and if the words weren't properly translated, the reader would only continue to flail without direction.

"If I could figure out what it's supposed to be – a descriptor or an object – I think I could tell you where to find the blade."

Alice frowned. "Can I ask a dumb question?"

"Sure."

"How do we know this poem is anything _close_ to accurate? I mean, no one's succeeded in killing the Jabberwock, so why are we chasing our tails over a poem written on a dead man's grave?"

"'Cause just because the previous Outsider couldn't find it doesn't mean that it didn't get found before."

Alice didn't buy it; Boris didn't look like he did either.

"To be honest, I think it's just some part of Wonderland's stupid-ass rules. Got an evil crazed monster running around? Create a weapon that'll kill it. Want it to rampage for a short time? Have it come only after an Outsider settles down and disappear when it does."

"This world is absurd beyond all human reasoning."

"You'll get no argument from me."

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, each silently pouring over the words, before Alice finally said, "I guess I should be out scrounging through Heart or Clover looking for a sword."

"Bad idea, babe. Jabberwock hones in on you like a magic bullet. It sucks to be using you as glorified bait, but if you left before it got here, then we won't be able to hold it down."

"In the Prison, you mean."

"Yup."

She sighed, again. "That means I wait for it to come here, and run like the dickens after everyone starts fighting and holding it down?"

"Yup."

"Who goes with me?"

Boris just blinked. "What do you mean, who goes with you?"

Ice creeped back up from her stomach to her throat. "Shouldn't someone come with me? Like the phrase, two heads are better than one."

"No, Alice, it's just you," and a light went off his head, and his expression softened to affection. "We're all gonna die here holding it down."

He said it was such morbid sweetness, like a cat bringing a dead bird to its master, that Alice felt both hot and cold.

"Then why am I bothering to run?" she whispered, her hands starting to shake with the truth. "If everyone's going to die, then I should die too."

"Don't be ridiculous. You're the only-"

"I am NOT the only one that matters!"

Her voice echoed like a gunshot, and Boris actually recoiled a little in surprise. A motion on her left, and Alice saw that the three youngest Role Holders were watching her with wide eyes from where they lay. The expressions they bore were a mix of shock and awe, as if the words she spoke were born of angels.

And for a split second, the space between her heartbeats, she felt something change. Something that felt like 'age', like hard-earned and painful wisdom settled onto her shoulders. It was not an unfamiliar sensation, but she hadn't felt like this since…

_Since before leaving Wonderland._

"Alice?"

The moment was lost, and she met Boris's eyes. "Please don't ever say that again. You're all precious to me. Everyone. So that's why you can't die before I find the Vorpal Blade, all right?"

He smiled at her again, a Cheshire Cat grin full of secrets and lies. "We'll see, won't we?"

"I guess so."

His smile fell away and he stood up. "Come on, let's show you the secret hiding spot." With a hand to help her up, then placed at the small of her back to guide her through the curtains, Boris led her to another part of the backstage.

Joker was waiting. "Faring well, Alice?"

"As well as to be expected. What can I do?"

"Stand there and look pretty," he said, stroking her cheek and pushing a few loose strands away from her lips. A gentle move from the not-so-gentle jester. "Let me show you the escape route."

He gestured to Boris, who stalked off in definite annoyance, until just the two of them were standing there. Then Joker pulled back a single black curtain until she was looking into a full-sized mirror. Reflecting back was her own image, but at her side was Black Joker dressed in the warden's clothes. It was not the Circus, but the Prison and its ominous cells, that reflected behind him.

"When everything's gone to hell and back, jump through the mirror and I'll catch ya," Black Joker said, and his voice didn't originate from her side. "Get'cha safe as possible – which isn't that safe, but hey, we're all lying to ourselves that this is gonna work."

Joker put a hand on her shoulder. "Not helping," he said softly.

A careless shrug. "Yeah, well, see you in the Jabberwock's stomach, Joker," and the mirror reflected only Alice and Joker.

"Sorry about that," he said, sounding genuinely apologetic. "He's just taking out his anger and fear on you."

"No, it's refreshing in its own way. Not kind, but no less true. But when should I use it?"

"Stay in the circus for as long as possible. Not because we want to risk you, but because the Jabberwock will likely teleport and leave us behind if we don't have it as debilitated as possible."

From somewhere in the distance, Alice could hear the sounds of a faceless crowd rumbling in anticipation, and something like firecrackers firing in the distance. She looked at Joker, who gave her a smile that didn't reach his now-cold eyes.

"Best hide away, Alice. I believe it's time to begin the show."

* * *

Wearing this form was quite interesting. The Knave of Hearts was one of the most powerful forms it had had the chance to steal, along with being quite emotionally complex. Odd. It would not have expected the latter truth, considering what the previous forms knew about the Knave, but such complexity was not detrimental. There was insight present that had helped unravel the mystery of this generation's Wonderland.

And the one thing this form knew more about than any previous form was the Outsider.

Alice Liddell.

Lost child. Innocent woman. And kind. Very, very kind. She bore the love of and for all things, be they faceless or Role Holders. Such empathy was a foreign concept, and not particularly beneficial for survival. She had, on occasions that the Knave and Marquis remembered, risked herself to save the lives of others. She was alive merely because the Role Holders saved her, not through any virtue of her own strength or wiles.

Virtues could become vices very quickly.

And through the Knave, it also knew of the plot at the Circus. The details were hazy, as either the Knave did not remember what had been discussed or had not been told the whole truth, but there was no reason not to go.

For one, the Outsider would be there. And even if the Outsider escaped – she was receiving more help than it had initially assumed – it had a way to lure her out.

Because even if she disappeared, it still had all her beloved Role Holders.

A smile, filled with sharpened teeth, spread across its face, and the Jabberwock changed into a faceless form and walked towards the tent with relentless, murderous deliberation. The tent itself was dark and hidden in the midnight, but it could hear the ticking of a thousand clocks coming from within. The people were hiding, for the little good it might do, but the Jabberwock was willing to indulge their foolishness and give them a chance to present themselves as willing sacrifices.

So the afterimages pushed open the tent flap and it strolled inside without a care in the world. The darkness was quite impermeable, almost too much for even the Jabberwock's enhanced vision. Whatever little corners the humans were hiding within, they were hiding remarkably well.

A spotlight flared into life, momentarily blinding, and the Joker magically appeared in the center with a bright smile on his face.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Wonderful Wonder World. I promise you a night of delights and entertainment."

The rest of the big top's lights turned on at once, and all of a sudden the Jabberwock found itself surrounded by hundreds of faceless. They were in the audience, standing around the three ring, balanced on the high wires and catwalk – absolutely everywhere. They wore a mix of costumes, dressed in the clothes of their respective territories, and stood together as if they'd always been one land.

And all of them were holding weapons.

Joker smiled, holding up a riding crop like a conductor at a symphony. "So for a brief moment in time, escape the shackles of fate! Now is a show to die for!"

He brought it down, and the world exploded.

* * *

Alice thought it impossible to be impressed by gunfights. Despite having lived surrounded by the sight and sound of them, she never particularly enjoyed watching them. The violence always felt wrong, no matter how blasé everyone felt about them, and trying to see them as anything more than homicidal cruelty felt like a lie.

But now, it was something closer to art than violence.

The first waves of attacks were just that – a wave of faceless moving forward as they shot the Jabberwock to pieces. The body dissolved into a million bits of skin and bone, but the afterimages began to rise from the ground as another body reformed itself. The darkness cut through dozens of bodies at a time as the Jabberwock swiped and devoured clocks, but no one turned away or ran. Instead, they kept firing as their comrades fell away.

When the first wave died off, then came the next, and the next, and the next. The faceless were relentless in their coordinated attacks, moving like a hive mind as they fought and died and trampled on each other's clocks to keep fighting.

"You foolish humans!" it roared in a voice that sent needles into her ears. "The faster you throw yourselves upon my hand, the more clocks you give to my life."

"We'll just have to take that risk!" someone yelled back before he was promptly eviscerated by the nearest afterimage.

Suddenly, Alice understood the difference between what she'd seen in the past and what she watched now. This time, they fought for their lives, knowing they'd likely never be reborn again. So many lost clocks meant afterimages that would never again find a body.

And she saw that _this is war, this is a slaughter of the most inhumane kind._

As the number of faceless continued to dwindle down, a single voice cracked through the noise.

"STOP!"

The spotlights died out for a split second, and when they turned back on all the faceless were gone. Joker stood in the center ring again, right in front of the Jabberwock, and pointed the whip at the blood-soaked humanoid. "Time to send away the clowns, and bring in the cannons."

All around them stood the remaining ten Role Holders, looking deadly and deadly serious. Even Vivaldi, even _Julius_; people that she didn't think would ever join a fight were standing there and waiting for the chance. Everyone held their weapons at the ready, their stances perfect and poised.

The Jabberwock laughed – again, that needle-like voice – and everyone in the Circus frowned or winced with pain. "So you throw yourselves at my feet like meat at the stockyards. How perfect. How wonderful. Now, if only you would give me your Outsider, I would spare your lives for a time."

"Oh no," Joker said affably. "The Outsider doesn't come in until the finale. But please, sit back and enjoy the ride."

Then, they attacked.

If the faceless were horde of ants, fighting with sheer numbers and overwhelming the opponent, then the Role Holders were a dozen hornets bent upon savagery. Despite the horrid odds, they fought like they had no choice but to win. They moved in a concurrence that was almost telepathic in nature. It was like watching a play, a dance, a script from a story too unreal to be believed.

Peter was a flash of white light; back-to-back twins a devilish whirlwind; Boris a tiger made of steel and magenta. Blades of Gray and bullets of Blood, bone-breaking Elliot and snake-swift Vivaldi fighting with single-minded purpose. Julius and Joker casting their own magics, slowing the Jabberwock or warping the Circus to their benefit.

But regardless of it all, she knew that they were still losing.

"Alice."

She almost shrieked as a hand fell on her shoulder, but only Pierce was standing behind her. "It's time for you to go. Hell's about to break loose."

It hurt, knowing that she was leaving them behind. "I'll be back as soon as possible. I promise."

He gave her a little knowing smile and pulled the vial of shrinking potion from her pocket. "We'll be here."

She gave him a quick hug and one last look to her friends – _my family_ – before turning away. She slipped into the backstage area without anyone to guide her, heading towards the area that Boris and Joker had led her before finding the black curtain. Without looking back, she stepped behind it and looked into the mirror.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

It reflected nothing but darkness. Then, before she could open the curtain and wonder if she needed Joker present, a hand reached out and pulled her through. She almost let out a scream, but barely stifled it behind a cough.

"Alice, are you all right?"

Now she was beyond shocked as she recognized the voice. "_Nightmare?_ I thought… I thought I was going to the Prison!"

"No, it's not safe," he said, and a small ball of light began to float between them. He was wearing his Clover suit, not the Incubus costume, and Alice realized that they were in the Tower of Clover. All the lights were turned off; it was eerie and awful, but he didn't look concerned with the grim ambiance.

"Why, what happened?"

"We had to fake the truth. The Jokers corroborated with me, built the lie up so that if the Jabberwock heard, it would go the Prison instead of coming here, which it inevitably will," he said, and began leading her through the rising stairs with horror-movie-level tension. It was odd that he was moving so fluidly and not coughing up blood, but his next words derailed her thoughts. "I'm going to cast a final protection to keep the Jabberwock from trailing you."

"What? How?"

"Simply put, it'll scatter the essence of you across the four countries. It won't be able to pinpoint you anymore."

It didn't take long to reach the Tower's highest balcony; not quite the roof, but high enough to see all the way to the Circus – and the confetti-like shots flickering in the distance. She knew without asking what was going on there, and felt her heart give a little twist of pain.

Nightmare gently turned her around, and it was a good surprise to feel him press a warm kiss against her forehead. The softness lingered against her skin even after he pulled back and lifted his pipe to his lips. With a rather deep pull, he blew out a stream of smoke that seemed bigger than possible for human lungs to make. As the smoke faded into the sky, Alice felt a tingling sensation run from her head to the tips of her toes. He kissed her and puffed a second time, and the same feeling repeated itself but more deeply and all the way into her marrow.

"All right then," and slipped the pipe into a secret place. "That's the best we can do. Godspeed, Alice, and the rest is in your hands."

The weight of their faith was soul-crushing, heart-breaking, but all she could do was smile and nod.

"Then you are banished from Clover Tower until you find what you need to fight the Jabberwock."

That same fish-on-a-hook sensation, and Alice knew the unforgiving rivers were about to sweep her away.

But not before she heard the sound of a monstrous roar in the background and saw Nightmare disappear in a flash of light and smoke without putting up a fight.

* * *

They made no sounds, lying on the ground like the broken dolls of Joker's Prison. Bone and blood and bits of organs colored the stones like confetti. It was a pleasurable sight, looking down at such proud humans beaten within an inch of their lives, though the Jabberwock was slightly disappointed that it could not devour their clocks.

Yet.

Though it had indulged upon the Jokers. It hadn't wanted to kill any of the Role Holders, but in order to stop the Ringmaster and the Warden, they had to be eaten. The great benefit had been the ability to manipulate the Prison, which could now be stretched out to include Wonderland's normal countries. Truly, a Wonderful Wonder World hidden in those clocks.

It was also quite surprising to see that the Incubus was the only conscious Role Holder. He was usually quite unhealthy, and the Jabberwock thought it would have accidentally killed the man, but apparently he had not taken quite the beating that the other humans had. That, of course, would be rectified in the future.

With the Knave of Hearts' bloody hand, it reached forward and picked the human up by the neck. The Incubus didn't even try to fight as the air slowly disappeared from his lungs; he just looked into the Jabberwock's dead eyes and breathed a question.

"Why?"

A smile of bloody, shark-like teeth.

"**Because she will not kill herself if there is a reason to live."**

The Incubus went white as snow as the light of realization flickered in his eyes before dying away.

* * *

Author's Note (07/30/13): I do apologize for taking so long to post this chapter. The story's starting to wind down to an end, and the next chapter's going to be very long, but I really wanted to pack as much punch into this one before I knock everyone out. Because it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Thanks again for reading!


	9. Day of Reckoning

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuni no Alice series; QuinRose does. I only own the original storyline and any characters not seen in the original games.

Musical Accompaniment: A God King Bleeds (300 soundtrack) to be played after Alice and the Role Holders think they've won; it ends just as the Jabberwock goes to devour Peter. Just as that song ends, Dirty Dancer (Enrique Iglesias, Usher) begins and goes all the way to the end of the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 9 – Day of Reckoning

When she opened her eyes, Alice was genuinely surprised to see that she was alive.

_No, it's not possible. I'm just dreaming._

_I've been dreaming for a year now. It's time to wake up._

She took careful stock of her body; as she moved, there were a few aches and pains to work through, but nothing blinding or severe. She slowly got to her hands and knees, then up to her feet with the help of a nearby tree.

It was another shock to realize, _I know exactly where I am!_

Dawn had colored the sky in shades of pale blue, yellow, and orange. It was beautiful, almost inappropriate when considering the dire situation, and for a second Alice could believe that everything was just as normal as it should be.

But then she heard voices coming closer and felt powerful wave of solace rush into her as she recognized a few of the faces.

"Miss Alice!" one Heart maid said, dashing forward to help her stand. Another woman, this one dressed in a waitress's apron, came to the other side and offered a hand. Both were familiar faces. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"Me? What about you? Why are so many people still in Heart?"

"Come on with us, and we'll tell you the story," said one guy.

They didn't have to go far before reaching one of the most isolated faceless villages that Alice knew. In both Heart and Clover, it straddled just on the edge of civilization before running into the impenetrable forests; she had been there when she wanted to get away from any and all Role Holders. As such, she was likely as familiar with it as the Tower or Hatter Mansion.

By the time they actually reached the center of town, Alice understood what was going on. It looked as if people from all over the country were living in whatever comfortable niche they could find. There were tents set up in alleys, extra blankets thrown over flat rooftops, and people of all different outfits milling around. She was pretty sure that a group of men from Heart Castle were chatting up some of the Hatter maids, while some Heart residents helped hand out food to stragglers from Clover. If she squinted hard enough, she could faintly believe that there might be a Diamond faceless or two among the crowd.

"Refuge," she whispered.

The Heart maid gave a little start. "Yeah, that's right! All the people from Heart, Clover, and anyone from Diamond are living here for the time. We just got this huge influx last night, probably after being banished from the Circus."

"It doesn't mean the Jabberwock won't come looking for us, but at least we'll have plenty of warning. Plus, this town leads directly into underground passages," one young man said, dressed in one of the Tower of Clover suits. "The faceless usually survive when Role Holders don't."

"Not worth the energy at this point," someone else joked drily.

Then the crowd started to murmur.

"Look!" a faceless woman yelled, and Alice's gaze immediately followed her finger as it pointed upwards.

A message of fire began to dance across the sky, large enough for anyone in the four countries to see it. Alice's blood ran cold as she read each sentence, so carefully written against the backdrop of the dawn.

**I own the Role Holders whom you cherish**

**They bleed, though their clocks yet tick**

**A single time-turn to reach the Tower of Clover, then all are forfeit**

**Come to me, Outsider, and learn the worth of your life**

She had long thought that her ability to be shocked or lost or anguished was long since destroyed. But now, her heart still hammered away, her hands fisted her dress and almost tore the seams as she re-read the words until they disappeared in a whisper of smoke.

_They're alive!_

_No, that can't be right. It's gotta be a trick! It must!_

_But even if it is, what if it's not? What if they're alive?_

_It's a trap. I know it is. But… I can't let them die._

Then she began to hear, really hear, the sound of the people talking around her.

"She should just let them die. It's not like they help us."

"Maybe they'll understand what's like to be afraid."

"My grandpa survived the previous Jabberwock. We can survive this one."

Someone rested a hand on her shoulder; it was the man who owned the bookshop that she frequently visited. "Miss Alice? Are you well?"

She licked her lips. "I'm tired of death."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm tired of it," she said, almost talking to the sky. "Present and helpless, absent and needed… I'm done with this."

"You're going to let everyone die?" he asked. The question seemed insensitive, but the tone suggested otherwise.

"No. No, I won't."

"Then, you have the Vorpal Blade?"

A sharp shake of her head. "No, and I don't think I'm going to find it. It doesn't matter, though, because I'm going to finish this."

He frowned, and Alice was starting to see his features just a touch more clearly than usual. The crow's feet at the edges of his eyes, the dusting of gray in his hair… he was as real as Blood or Ace or any of the Role Holders.

_They're all real._

A time-turn could happen at literally any moment, but Alice had the feeling that time would progress as it had so oddly done for the past few days. If that was so, then she had at least a few hours to gain her bearings; not much, but it was something. And there was something she had to do now.

Her friends were suffering for her sake, and she wouldn't let fear take over, but they weren't the only ones she was fighting for. She walked confidently (she hoped) to the stone fountain in the center of town, and with a few light skips she was standing on the highest basin. The action soaked her socks and shoes, but she could see every faceless person in the city.

Perhaps some of the last faceless in Wonderland.

"Excuse me! Can everyone hear me?"

People turned in her direction, which was enough of an answer, and watched her with faceless (_no, no longer faceless_) expressions.

"Uhm, for anyone who doesn't know me, my name is Alice Liddell. I'm an Outsider, from a place called Oxford, England, and I'm here to save you," she said, letting her voice carry across the spaces. She had their attention, though some people were obviously skeptical of her words. "When I came here, I found out that people had clocks instead of hearts. For that reason – the lack of a heart – everyone thinks that all inhabitants of Wonderland are replaceable. And you're not. No one's replaceable."

She took another deep breath to steady herself and get her words in order. "In my old world, everyone had hearts. It doesn't stop people from hurting or killing each other. But the secret is that it's the same; clocks, hearts, they're all the same. So while my world treats other people like faceless, to me, you all have hearts. Everyone here means something, not just by family or association or title."

With that, she could see their expressions change; soften, become warmer, full of trust and something wanting. She braced herself, barrelled through her gathering fears, and made her voice carry in the wind.

"I'm going to rescue the Role Holders. Not because they're more important than you, but because I won't let anyone else die. Because every face here is different from the one next to it. Every clock beats with a different time. Every rebirth is a new soul. And every second counts when the world is coming to an end," she said, and let her heart pour out her lips. "Maybe this world doesn't love you the way you should be loved, but I'll prove that it can. I'll save the Role Holders, and I'll save you.

"So please, I beg of you, please help me fight the Jabberwock."

The shouts and screams that went up around her were deafening, and they tore joyful tears from her eyes. Representatives from the different families and factions stepped up, offering themselves.

"What can we do for you?" they all asked.

_If I can't find the Vorpal Blade, then I'll make one on my own._ To them, she said, "I need a weapon, and I need you to teach me how to fight."

* * *

The Role Holders hung like beautiful jewels from the ceiling. Chains of shadows bound them up, twisting their limbs and bodies into anguished caricatures of idle angels. Everything that each Role stood for was lifted high and broken across the sky. The Jabberwock was more than pleased with its work.

Yes, seeing the one-armed twin hang by that remaining arm was quite an expression; by now, his shoulder had dislocated and the smallest breeze that sent him rocking would be nothing but agony. His brother was suspended at the opposite side, his arms locked behind his back, and he had hung from them so long that both shoulders were broken beyond repair. Watching afterimages rip and eviscerate the Lizard's living tattoo, creating mirror wounds on his body, sent shivers of delight down the creature's spine. To say nothing of

The March Hare's ears laying on the ground many stories below

The Queen of Hearts' destroyed beauty and flayed skin

The Incubus's lost eyes still crying blood

The Dormouse screaming, ever screaming as the afterimages devoured him alive

The Hatter growing malignant rose vines that created a thousand punctures

The Cheshire Cat with piercings ripped out and tattoos carved from his body

The Clockmaster hanging by hooked hands of a clock through the skin of his arms, shoulders, back

And the White Rabbit's broken legs, dangling uselessly though he was barely bound

There was such power in destruction. Their clocks would bear these delicious memories for time without end. The room was silent; there was no need to speak when pain echoed in their souls loudly enough to momentarily satisfy its blood-thirst.

Suddenly, it felt a sensation, something like a key opening a lock, and it knew

_The Outsider has come_

The Jabberwock let out a pealing laugh that shook the very foundation. The eleven began to awaken, jolted from their torture as they, too, felt the presence of the terrified girl coming closer.

"**I told you she would come," **it sneered, its voice digging into their minds so harshly that all began to bleed from the nose and ears. **"You are the one thing she found meaning from in this meaningless world – her beloved friends that she is willing to die for. And she will. Oh yes, she will die for you."**

The Queen of Hearts wept.

* * *

As soon as she crossed the threshold, Alice felt not only the presence of the Jabberwock but also that of the Role Holders. The feeling grew as she climbed to the very top of the Tower of Clover, her feet moving by themselves like cogs in the machine. _Just keep walking_, with Ace's red jacket hanging around her shoulders like a burial shroud.

She expected that she reached the top so quickly – something that never happened under normal circumstances – because the Jabberwock was breaking rules again. It didn't want to stretch the tension out too long.

Which was good, because Alice couldn't take it, either.

So when she finally reached the door that would open into the observation deck, she stood outside and listened to the sound of her heart beating. Deep within, she could make out the ticking of a gigantic clock.

_I'm so afraid. I'm so afraid I want to cry and die and go home and I can't do this._

Alice reached a shaking hand inside her apron pocket and pulled out the little glass vial hidden inside. It carried not only all the feelings she had towards the Wonderland inhabitants, but what they felt towards her. She pressed it against her lips, and the cold crystal was like a prism for truth.

_This is going to hurt. I'm going to get hurt, and I'm going to get killed._

_But when it happens… at least they'll know I came for them. Because they mean the world to me. Both worlds._

_I love them. All of them. And… and if I have to die to save their home, then I will._

And the tremors disappeared, and she gave the vial one final kiss on the heart before slipping it back into her pocket.

When the dawn turned to day, barely a few minutes later, she pushed the door open.

All was quiet, filled with the hushed anticipation of a crowd just before a play.

"Hi, Alice."

The room was darkness with a single point of light at the center of the floor; there stood the Jabberwock, still wearing Ace's body and pleasant expression. She'd been in the observatory before, and knew it was using afterimages to keep her from seeing whatever secrets may have been hiding in the corners of the room or up near the dome. She had the unnerving sense that the Prison was somehow here, like a 3D picture overlapping reality, but couldn't spare a thought away from the Jabberwock.

Ace's voice and words, perverted beyond insanity, purred through the air. "Thanks for bringing your heart here. I missed you."

"I didn't come for you," she said, proud of her unwavering alto. "I came for my friends. Give them back."

"Nope. They're mine."

Now she could let adrenaline run through her veins, and she strode into the room without hesitation. "No, they're not!"

Now a roaring laugh through the observatory, and the very sky itself seemed to shake. Alice knew that the faceless below in Wonderland had probably felt the horrific sound, but to her it was nothing more than Ace's laugh – but with an edge of true malevolence. She would not be moved.

"You're actually kind of brave, even scared like this."

Alice pursed her lips. "I'm scared, yes. But for them… I'm not going to leave until you set them free. So tell me where they are."

"Huh. Well, I suppose it won't hurt to let you take a peek at them."

Afterimages dissipated like clouds, and the midday sun was relentless in what it showed.

Though she promised herself that she wouldn't cry no matter what happened, the moment that Alice looked above the Jabberwock's head there was no power that could stop the tears from flowing. The sight of her friends ripped a sob from her chest, and she covered her mouth to try and hide it. She _saw_ what the creature had wrought.

_Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God._

Raindrops from above told her that she wasn't the only one who knew how very broken this situation was.

"What have you done to them?" she whispered, and then fury took over. "What have you done?"

"Aw, don't be so upset. They're just, you know, slowly dying from the horrible wounds I inflicted. But still alive for now."

"Let. Them. Go. NOW!"

Ace's toothy smile. "What'cha gonna do about it?"

Alice swallowed, unable to believe she would ever say these words. "I will kill you."

"Heh, that's cute, Alice. You always did know how to get rid of my boredom. But tell you what – if you surrender your heart to me, I'll let 'em go. Promise. Cross my clock, hope to die, all that jazz."

Everyone started yelling; feebly, with hoarse and ruined voices, but giving it their best. Variations on 'run', 'leave us', 'don't you fucking dare' themes echoed down to her ears.

Alice, however, knew a sucker game when she saw one. _I've lived in Wonderland for more than a year. I've learned more than a few things about stacked decks, and how to beat a cheating dealer at their own game._

"Like hell."

And, in one smooth motion learned from her friends, Alice pulled a handgun out from the cover of Ace's jacket and fired straight at the Jabberwock's chest.

With the help of the Wonderland faceless, they had given her a few firearms that were easy enough for a girl to handle. She had felt absolutely ridiculous walking into the situation bearing arms like a child pretending to play War, but it felt better having something rather than walking in naked. And though it went against everything in her soul to use a weapon, she was more than willing to risk it if she could save her beloved friends.

The Jabberwock stumbled back a step, and a thrill went through her when she saw the perfect bullet hole in the creature's chest.

_I can do this!_

She braced her legs and kept shooting as if the world depended on it.

* * *

When Alice pulled the gun out like a true Wonderland resident, something in Peter let out a cry of triumph. His beautiful, magnificent Alice standing against the false Knight of Hearts, her gaze never wavering as she fired shot after shot. No matter the pain that he was in, it was his Alice that could save him and heal all his wounds.

The moment that her first gun had no more bullets, she simply threw it aside and grabbed another one hidden away. Although she had no grace, Alice even jumped a few steps to the side as the Jabberwock tried to lunge at her.

"She's actually trying to kill it," Julius whispered through bloodied lips.

Pride danced in Peter's chest.

Alice's aim was not impressive; only one of three or four shots actually made their mark on the Jabberwock's borrowed body. Still, blood sprayed and cloth flew each time Alice's shots were true.

She pulled out five different guns, and Peter began to believe again as the creature fell to one knee.

"Surrender them to me!" she said, holding her gun against "Ace's" head. "Or I will kill you."

Everyone held their breath.

The Jabberwock laughed, and Alice took one last shot.

* * *

The body fell to the ground with an almost anticlimactic 'thud', and Alice couldn't help but follow down as the strength left her body.

"Oh my God, I did it," she breathed. "I did it."

And then the body moved, and her heart stopped.

_No. No!_

It had a broken puppet-like motion to it, joints and bones bending in ways that they weren't supposed to. Limbs began to elongate, bleeding along the seams of its skin.

"That was an impressive effort, Outsider. But now – **it's my turn**."

And it ripped the human form into shreds, and Alice let out a scream of pure terror as flesh splattered across the floor. The very ground began to shake as the creature grew to monstrous proportions, and she managed to find her feet and run towards the nearest safe place and duck her head. Everything continued to move and fall and break apart, the ceiling shattering and the sound of a near-dozen bodies hitting the floor with bone-crunching harshness.

When she finally found her courage, Alice opened her eyes.

She couldn't describe it in words; all she knew was that something utterly unreal and untouchable stood above her. It was like a centipede and a dragon melded with creatures only nightmares could have created. Countless legs were spread out across the floor, holding up a scaly, segmented body so huge that it blocked the sun from her eyes, easily reaching the height of a building. There were clawed arm-like appendages, reptilian and arachnid rolled into one, which looked small from a distance but easily had to be as large as her body.

Its head was the worst. Wide, lidless eyes stared at her, snake-black but for a glowing red pupil. With an almost delicate motion, the Jabberwock tilted its face in her direction, and then opened its mouth. The creature's maw stared back at her, a limitless darkness both hypnotizing and demonic as it dripped fresh blood from teeth that were sharper than blades. Deep within, she could actually see pieces of broken clocks lying on its tongue like offerings to a dark god.

All around, her friends lay chained to the ground; the afterimages held them down with brutal efficiency.

_Shoot it shoot it SHOOT IT!_

Her brain kept screaming at her to act and move, and it felt like she was swimming through syrup as she desperately reached for the final gun in the coat. Her hands were shaking with wrung-out adrenaline and her aim was absolutely worthless, but with a being that large there was no way she could miss.

Bullets bounced off the Jabberwock's calcareous body, seemingly no more annoying than a needle prick against a thimble. And still, the head floated closer and closer until it was a bare breath's distance.

Alice didn't realize she was squeezing the trigger of an empty magazine.

"**Do you not see, Outsider?"** it said, the voice echoing in her brain no matter how tightly she covered her ears. **"There was never a chance for you to win! Without the Vorpal Blade, you are no match for me."**

From the corner of her eye, Alice saw something come winging in her direction, and she wasn't fast enough to dodge. A claw barely clipped her cheek, but it was enough to send her rolling across the ground in a mindless tumble. By the time she stopped moving, she could barely recognize the pain in her face apart from the rest of her body, and the gun was gone from her hands.

An afterimage swooped at her, and there was nothing she could do but let the thing cut her across the back, shredding the rest of Ace's jacket and calling up her blood. More shouts, like a haunted chorus in the background.

Each step the Jabberwock took made the tiles groan with effort, and another clawed hand cruelly flipped her onto her back. The simple motion sent her tumbling head over heels across the floor, bruising her face and head. With the wind knocked completely out of her, Alice could only lie there as the head began to descend.

"**Let me tell you of Wonderland's future."**

Her heart beat a finger-breaking tempo. Tears rolled out of her eyes, silent and unstoppable. Somewhere in the background, voices continued to call out to her.

"**I will kill your companions as you lay here. I will revel in your anguish, your heart and your soul burning away. I will teach your body to understand a new meaning of pain, making their suffering pale in comparison."**

Blood dripped onto her dress from its fangs.

"**Then I will devour your flesh, drink your blood, and swallow your heart. I will see this country fall as the other three did. And I will own this world from now until forever."**

The vial rolled out of her apron and rested against her fingers.

"**Worship me, Outsider. Give me a taste of your despair."** The Jabberwock smiled, and she learned a new kind of fear from that expression. **"Tell me the name of the one you love, and they will be the first to die."**

She stopped breathing again.

"**The Knave's thoughts spoke of your feeling for these insects, that you must love them. Tell me whom you love the most, or I will cut off your legs," **it said, and a claw grabbed her by the knees and began to pinch against the skin.

_Please don't make me pick them. Just let me die. Please. Let me die._

"**One last time, Outsider. Tell me a name!"**

"It's me!"

Her head whipped to the right, and her heart skipped more than a few beats when she saw Peter trying to stand. His legs were horribly broken, and the effort must have hurt him tremendously, but he propped himself up by his hands and sheer willpower. The Jabberwock immediately lost interest in Alice, and dropped her body.

"She loves me the most!" he yelled.

"**Excellent."**

_NO!_

Then _Blood_ laughed – a true hearty laugh – and said, "Hardly! I'm the one she loves."

The Jabberwocky stopped. **"How interesting. I did not foresee this odd affinity from the Role Holders."**

"It's me," Julius said without a hint of sarcasm.

"Don't kid yourself. It's me," Elliot declared.

Boris snarled. "No, I'm her lover."

"No, I'm Alice's love!" Pierce shouted.

Gray's voice, a destroyed whisper, "She loves me!"

"We are her beloved," Vivaldi cried out.

"No way!" "Big Sis loves us best!"

"You're all wrong; Alice loves me most," Nightmare said clearly.

Her heart felt too full for her chest, and now the tears were a mix of love and sorrow. They still wanted to save her. No matter their pain and the torture they suffered, they were still willing to die for her.

_I failed them and they still want to save me. One thing, and I was too useless to do it right. The blade…._

The vial in her hand felt warmer, heavier. Words came spinning back.

_In glass heart (something) blade_

A flash of insight, like the voices of Outsiders past murmuring answers to her –

_glass heart blade_

– and suddenly Alice understood, her fingers clenching around the ampoule.

_Glass heart blade_

She slowly climbed to her feet, ignoring the pain for irrational exhilaration. The Jabberwock laughed again, still turned away from her.

"**Since you are all so willing to die, then I will choose. Let us begin with the one who spoke first – White Rabbit."**

The mammoth head came down with its jaw unhinged, and Peter braced himself for impact.

Alice hadn't realized that she moved. The next thing she knew she was standing in front of Peter, holding the vial out like a shield – and something like a white sphere of light kept the creature's head from moving closer. The sheer shock of the action had actually stunned the Jabberwock into motionlessness.

"My Alice," Peter said like he was praying.

Though she faced the Jabberwock, Alice spoke her words for Peter. "You said you'd do anything for me, right?"

"Of course! You don't even have to ask!"

"Would you fight with me, even if we might die?"

"Then I die with you."

She reached out her hand behind her body, and the moment his hand clasped hers everything clicked into place.

The glass vial suddenly burst into beautiful life; blinding white light shone like a hand-held star, and even Alice herself had to close her eyes. The fingers she held felt like they were melting away, and for a moment her stomach jumped with fear, but in the span of three heartbeats she felt herself change and grow.

When she opened her eyes, Alice didn't need a mirror to know what she looked like; a twenty-something woman with hair streaming down her back, freed from any ribbons or lace. She wore neither her blue dress nor the black assembly gown, but a maroon-colored skirt and black jacket meant for a college student. And in her hand she no longer held the vial.

Instead, she carried Peter's Luger pistol.

And inside her soul she could feel the place where Peter now belonged; no longer broken on the ground, but unbroken within.

"My god," someone breathed.

"**NO!" **The Jabberwock roared, sending waves of afterimages towards Alice. **"I will have your heart!"**

"_Shoot them, Alice,_" his voice urged. As she lifted her hand, she could imagine him standing there, guiding her motions with his strength. _"I will be your aim."_

Bullets flew effortlessly from the gun, and the shadows disappeared like mist in the day. One struck the Jabberwock's leg where a joint was exposed, and it now screamed with a different discordance.

It was in pain. These bullets could damage it in a way that hadn't worked before, and triumph surged between her and Peter.

But they needed more help.

"Everyone, I'll fight with you too!" Alice cried out, her voice stronger than it had ever been in Wonderland.

They responded with a vengeance as Peter's legs gave hers a speed she didn't think possible. She barely slowed as she passed each one of her friends, taking just enough time to grab a wrist or clap hands. Each time she avoided the Jabberwock as it threw its tail out, or shot with fantastic aim as it snapped its immense jaws at them. Each time, white fireworks exploded across the observatory as all the Role Holders gave themselves up to their dearest Outsider.

She felt all of them enter into her, and it was like having fire and whirlwinds and magic swirling through her soul. It wasn't crowded or unnatural; it felt like she was finally, completely whole.

"_You figured it out,"_ Nightmare said warmly, the one who felt most natural in her head. _"I knew you would."_

"_Yeah, so did we!"_ Dee and Dum said together.

"_Let's save the praise until after we've finished the job,"_Blood said, coming to the front. _"Would the lady care to dance?"_

"Love to," she smiled, finally ready to fight.

The pistol morphed into a rose-covered machine gun, and she hoisted it up against her hip with ease. Claws reached out to snap her in two, but Blood's presence gave her legs new freedom. She spun around like a gymnast on the floor, beauty and focus in one unending motion. A gentle squeeze of the trigger, and a shower of bullets fell onto the Jabberwock's poorly protected legs. It raged as the now-bleeding appendages buckled beneath the weight of its body, and over half the legs were nearly destroyed.

"_You dance divinely. I adore a woman who knows how to move with a gentleman,"_ he purred into and through her thoughts, and it brought an unheeded blush to her cheeks.

"_Then let's try a faster dance,"_ and Boris came up with a catlike grin.

His magenta handguns now resting in her palms, Alice darted through to the opposite side, weaving around the clicking, sharpened legs with feline grace. Each one she passed, she shot until the leg until it shattered apart. Joyful laughter bubbled out as she flipped backwards over one leg, then shot a stream of afterimages into smoke. By the time she reached the Jabberwock's rear legs, it was trapped in one place without a single leg to stand on.

But it was still incredibly massive, the way a tiger was unbelievably large to firefly, and the body had no problem whipping itself around or reaching with its double handful of claws. She managed to jump on its snake-like tail, but nearly flew a story the air when it spasmed and tossed her skyward.

"_Let's shoot it up!"_ Boris said.

Nightmare disagreed; his telepathy was finally able to access the creature's unearthly thoughts. _"Won't work. The Jabberwock's carapace is too hard, and bullets won't penetrate. We need to get under it before guns can be used."_

Twin laughter. _"That's our cue, brother!" "Comin' right up, brother!"_

And Alice landed with an axe in each hand, and she twirled them around her body like an acrobat's ribbon. The nearest afterimages puffed away, and she was nearly euphoric with the sensation of how incredibly _good_ it felt to be like the Role Holders. The weight and balance of the axes was a foreign thing, but Dee and Dum knew their weapons as they knew their hands. There was true freedom in wielding their weapons like it was hers.

So she made a powerful swing with both axes into the chitinous shell, and was thoroughly rewarded with ichorous blood spraying out.

"_Tag! You're it!"_

And now the Jabberwock thrashed itself around like a trapped eel, crashing against the remaining walls and sending shards of rocks in all directions.

"_Can't catch us!"_ they laughed and teased. Though her hands still bore the axes, she felt twin strength take her on a sprint around the floor, even faster than Peter, dodging around falling bricks and mortar as they circled the Jabberwock. The blades she bore never stopped moving, always hacking and slicing away at bits of the exoskeleton as darkness stained her clothes. Pieces of the carapace dropped to the ground like stones from a rockslide, though she hadn't been able to make it bleed.

"_It's workin'!"_ the duo cheered. _"The shell's breakin' up!"_

"_Good, because I've been waiting all day to do this!"_

Shoving back both Dee and Dum into a corner of her mind, Elliot pushed his way forward just as she ducked under the flailing tail. Then, with the power of the strongest Role Holder, Alice spun on the ball of her foot and threw a crescent kick straight into the center of the Jabberwock's body. The sheer force of the motion sent a huge chuck of carapace flying off, and as she finished the turn she fired a handful of shots from his flintlock pistol to ward off the afterimages.

"_Eat it!"_ he yelled as the tail came winging at her again, but she knew it was coming. A jump, a flip, and Alice's heel came down hard in the center of the monster's back in a perfectly executed axe kick. The blades had weakened the armor so much that a shockwave echoed up and down its length, and the rest of the insect's shield shattered away.

Incoherent rage from the Jabberwock as pale, corpse-like flesh was exposed to the world.

"_Fucking payback for my ears!"_

Vivaldi's thoughts were velvet and titanium. _"It is our turn to take a well-earned piece of flesh." _At the same time, Julius said,_ "I agree. It's time to finish this."_

With a revolver in one hand and an automatic pistol in the other, Alice threw her arms out and began to fire at the exposed body. The sight of blood-puddles forming from the holes was an emotion beyond satisfying. Alice marveled at how powerless the beast was under her feet; Vivaldi laughed like it was all a game as she spun in a perfect circle. When the Jabberwock's body thrashed and threw itself onto its back in an attempt to crush her, Julius showed her exactly what the Clockmaster could do.

For a moment, time stopped. Everything hung in the air, including the Jabberwock in mid-roll, and it gave Alice more than enough time to act. She simply jumped over the body and, with a little help from Elliot, shoved just as time restarted itself. The extra force sent the demonic creature rolling until it was impaled on a broken pillar. Again, she took up the Julius and Vivaldi's firearms and shot for all she was worth. By the time she finished, the Jabberwock's body was riddled so full of bullets that it seemed to be deflating. It was also trapped on its back, unable to pull itself off the stone.

"_Come, Alice, we are almost done,"_ Julius said.

She ran down the length of the Jabberwock's belly as if it were a breathing wall, ready for any attack and fully prepared when the dragon-like claws snapped out to rip her in two. She dodged with a perfect pirouette, like a prima ballerina taking center stage during the climax, and Alice cracked both scepter and wrench against the claws so hard that the sheer force of it propelled her upwards.

But the Jabberwock's mouth was wide open, waiting to swallow her as she fell towards its blood-red maw.

"_I would be honored to catch you,"_ Gray said, sliding against her with delicate power, _"as many times as you needed."_

She fell like a cottonwood puff, almost floating to the ground as Gray's throwing knives flashed through the air and embedded themselves in the monster's face and eyes. In its blinded distraction, the Jabberwock couldn't defend itself from his thicker combat knives slicing away, taking off chunks of the claws in beautiful swipes like a painter at the canvas. The lifeless limbs fell away, sending the nearest afterimages off into the sky.

The monster lay gracelessly on the ground, bleeding its blackness into the stones, and Alice (_Nightmare_) knew that it was close to dying.

"_Aw, I didn't have a chance to fight,"_ Pierce said mournfully.

"There's one last thing you can help me with," Alice said, walking straight up to the Jabberwock's head already holding his knuckle knife. It snapped and snarled at her, but she just danced from side to side.

"… **No… I was… I am the limitless… I am your death… I… I…."**

The words coming from its mouth were weak, and Alice wondered how on earth she ever thought a creature this pathetic to have ever been scary in the first place.

She stabbed it in the neck, an efficient little move meant to cut deep and painfully. It earned her a howl of pain from the Jabberwock as a chunk of flesh fell away. "_That_ was for Spade."

Her friends were so shocked that they were silent frost against her thoughts.

"_This_ is for Diamond, and Heart, and Clover," and she sliced at the delicate white tissue. More screaming, more bits of muscle and organ pulled out.

"_This_ is for all the souls you abused."

"_This_ is for George, and all the Outsiders before me."

"_This_ is for Sidney and the Diamond Queen!"

"_This_ is for Gowland, and the King, and the Jokers!"

"_This_ is for my friends and everything you did to them!"

Alice released Pierce as she climbed onto the Jabberwock's neck. When she stood right where the neck and head met, she dove deeper into her soul than any of the Wonderland spirits could reach and found her weapon.

In her hand began to build a beautiful sword made of glass, stronger than the strongest metal forged, with the blade reaching nearly three feet in length. It shone like diamonds, like a perfect snowstorm, and the afterimages surrounding her all disappeared from the sunlight she wrought.

The Vorpal Blade was warm and lightweight and felt completely right in her hand.

Through Nightmare's telepathy, Alice could feel the one thing that had been forever foreign to the Jabberwock – terror. **"No… no…."**

She pulled her arms back in a perfect swordsman's stance. "And this… this is for Ace," and she swung.

Her blade sliced through the giant's neck all the way through; shattering neck bones, severing nerves and arteries, and sending the head flying off before crashing like a meteor to the ground at the feet of the faceless many stories below.

And as the rest of the Jabberwock toppled like a fallen tree, Alice saw a flash of teasing eyes, heard the sound of laughter, and felt the kiss from a lost friend against her tear-stained cheek.

* * *

Author's Note (08/28/13): As you may well have guessed, this is the penultimate chapter of this story. Initially I had planned to split this up into two parts, but I kept everything together (despite being 10+ pages of story) because I like the flow. I didn't really have a good break point, and the one that I had initially chosen would have probably messed with the tension. Regardless, there's just one more chapter to go, and noticeably happier than many of the prior ones.

Thanks again for reading!


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